Soul Reaper
by Eria
Summary: YnM AU in Soul Eater verse. TsuSoka. Tsuzuki can't seem to keep a Meister. They always quit. However, this is the final year he can pair up before he's locked away forever...
1. The Sullen Meister

_**Author's notes**: So this is all because **Luna-sempai** said go for it. You can all thank her by going to read her stories. Anywho, this is based in the Soul Eater universe so expect some things to have been changed for this rehashing. I tried to make the Soul Eater verse as approachable as possible for people not familiar with it; so, if any of you get overly confused by what's going on drop me a line so I can embellish parts in the story._

_Oh! And I must thank the lovely **SlickCiggy **for her beautiful work at beta-ing.  
_

_**Warning:** Tsuzuki is not dead; he's a young adult. Hisoka's not dead; he's a teenager. Because they are younger and not!dead there's a couple of things I should go over. Their personalities are intrinsically the same but because they have not experienced more years they are bound to be OOC, kay? Yes, I said it. Keep in mind that they are going to be as close to their characters as possible._

_Oh, and I changed two YnM peoples' names in the course of the story. You guys are smart enough to figure them out. :D Enjoy!  
_

* * *

The laughing, spiky, sun was in high spirits as it hung far above the Death Weapon-Meister Academy. It was the beginning of a new semester, and the crowd of un-partnered Weapons and Meisters were lounging about the open courtyard in front of the massive odd-looking building. The towering building sat at the highest point in the center of Death City, two massive lit candles sidling the three enormous skulls that acted as a sort of 'welcome' mat to visitors.

With their best face on the flunkies were all waiting, some nervously and others not so much, for the incoming Freshmen who were trekking up the long stairs to the academy. A couple Weapons were throwing simple Q & As back and forth practicing like they were about to be tested. While a few Meisters chatted quietly, they tried to calm their inevitable jitters. From their vantage point they could pretty much judge how much longer until the Freshmen stepped up onto the man-made plateau.

Finally, those newbies trickled up onto the flat stonework, the pass-overs from the previous semester moved to intersect them for a casual meet-and-greet, hoping to pair up with a Meister or Weapon suited to their abilities and needs.

Dressed in his typical black duster jacket and business suit, Tsuzuki hung out in the shadows of the right-most giant skull. It was much cooler there than hanging out in the sun. He idly wondered if this batch of bodies was even-numbered like the last two, or odd-numbered, with twin Weapons, like the one before even that.

The mass was thinning as Pairs headed to registration and then to whichever classroom they'd been assigned. They wouldn't find out until later whether they were compatible or not.

Behind sunglasses and a lock of brown-black hair, he watched until there were five left talking and gesturing at one another. Odd-numbered, maybe he'd get lucky...

Four walked away in groups of two. This was his chance! If this short blond was a Weapon it meant diddly-squat, but if she was a Meister... maybe he'd finally get Paired.

Hell, who was he kidding. At twenty-five, he was the oldest unpaired student, and, in accordance with his deal with Death, a year away from getting kicked out of the academy. However, unlike other DWMA dropouts, he wouldn't be allowed to leave Death City if it came to that.

He was trapped here either way. Even as hopeless as the prospect seemed, choosing a Meister felt freer than the only other option. Frankly, he wasn't picky, since so many experienced Meisters would deign insults on him, instead of attempting to wield him. The real problem to getting a wielder was finding one that stuck. It didn't matter whether or not they were compatible. At this point, it wasn't really a matter of choice.

Shifting uneasily from foot to foot, the kid turned at his approach, a small pin with 'Meister' sitting primly on their chest.

Thank All for that. Tsuzuki had started to hope a little too hard and his head pulsed with the beginnings of a headache. The Meister was male, but as long as they were compatible it didn't matter to him. He knew others who could afford to be picky. He politely removed his sunglasses pocketing them in his front coat pocket. _Casual. Stay casual._ "Hey, I'm Tsuzuki Asato, a Weapon. Mind pairing up?"

He was scrutinized, and, really, he was used to that, but not in such a neutral way. It was a little unsettling, but not unpleasant. He fidgeted as he waited to pass whatever assessment the green-eyed Freshman was non-verbally administering.

It didn't seem long before the kid nodded, though his cheerless expression didn't change. "Secret Blackriver." With that, the kid walked ahead without another word. _Not a chatty one, huh._

Regardless, Tsuzuki pumped himself up at this unexpected opportunity and simultaneously tried to smother the hope that swelled in his head, 'maybe, maybe' knocking in his skull like an overused baby-rattler. He could've built a glass palace if he had melted down all the windows of opportunity he'd broken in the past.

As he passed under the massive stone archway, underneath the likewise massive skull, which had wicked red spikes for eyes, he noticed that the kid was already well beyond the informational table, manned by a cheerful Meister and a grumpy Weapon, set up for new Pairs.

As he jogged to catch up, Tsuzuki waved at the short, long-haired Wakaba, while he completely ignored the male cigarette smoker next to her.

She waved back with a happy smile and nudged her Weapon in the midsection. "Hajime, don't be rude." The grunt could have been, "hi there" or "piss off" but by then Tsuzuki was already down the hall.

He called out to the short Meister. "Hey! Slow down!"

Despite his height disadvantage, the kid was quick on his feet. By the time he'd caught up, they were already halfway to their assigned classroom. Silently, they passed the 'Gibbous Moon' classroom and turned right, and continued down the hallway.

Tsuzuki glanced down at him. It was unusual for someone his age to be so stoic. He couldn't be more than thirteen, maybe fourteen. Tsuzuki knitted his eyebrows. The kid hadn't checked the sheaf of papers bundled in his left hand or asked him where they were headed; Secret seemed to be somewhat familiar with the odd layout of the building.

The silence was so full and his curiosity so strong, Tsuzuki couldn't stand it any longer. "So, Secret, what made you come to the DWMA?"

Secret sent an irritated look towards him as if the silence hadn't chafed him the smallest bit. "To hunt witches."

Tsuzuki braked, clamping down on the surge of unhappy feelings that the simple mention of the 'w' word wrought. "Did you lose someone?"

The kid slowed to a stop, not answering as he tilted his head to look at the elegant sign hanging from the bracket off the wall. The 'Half Moon' classroom was in view with its door still open and the voices of eager Freshmen emanating from the room.

With a quick shake of his head, Secret entered the room. A minute or so behind, Tsuzuki followed, ever curious about the pervasively enigmatic Meister, but not before slipping his sunglasses back on. It would dissuade the other Freshmen from staring at him too intently because of the notoriety that preceded him. His reputation caused him problems; not because others would attack him, but because in the past if his reputation hadn't scared off a potential Meister the other students would.

The only two seats open were far apart in the mini amphitheater. So Secret sat in the front section in the middle, while Tsuzuki made his way up the stairs along the wall to the highest section in the rightmost corner, ignoring the distasteful looks that were slanted his way. The only other occupant of the desk looked vaguely ill at his presence as he took a seat on the built-in bench. Tsuzuki crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, quite content with what would be his seat if he decided to attend class with any regularity.

It was a lucky break that he'd gotten such an advantageous seat. He didn't have to worry about objects flying at the back of his head.

Tsuzuki was feeling pretty good until the teacher stepped in. The tall, brown-haired man was a three-star Meister, the highest honor for wielders, and typically the only ones who held such an esteemed position in the academy. It was just his luck that for every brief good thing that happened to him, some bad crap always followed to put a damper on things.

See, he should have graduated with that Meister years ago. He'd been an upperclassman and Tsuzuki's previous partner, but it hadn't worked out. True, a huge number of his partners didn't work out, but with Tatsumi—well, they had been a damn good pair while it had lasted. Tsuzuki closed his eyes from the pain that filled him at the memory of the bespectacled man, knowing that Tatsumi only wielded a Shadow Type Weapon now. Distracting himself from the past with the present, he called up the image of the green-eyed youth who would (hopefully) become his Meister.

Without so much as an 'Attention', Tatsumi Seiichirou turned to the chalkboard and wrote his name. He turned sharply, his glasses glinting in the light, and smiled. The chatter in the classroom quieted abruptly; the flunkies, in particular, knew they needed to shut the hell up with this strict teacher.

"For this class, you will be expected to be on time, follow my lectures, and do the homework in between meetings. When you do all of these, the exams will not be difficult to pass. Missions where Kishin souls are captured are also required to pass this course. While class is in session," Stern blue eyes scanned the students as he continued, "I expect common courtesy as well as respect for myself and your fellow classmates."

Abruptly, he turned a stony stare at a couple of Freshmen, a boy and a girl who were whispering to one another and apparently hadn't noticed his annoyed expression. "Which means, do not speak unless answering a question, and when called upon stay relevant to the topic at hand." The two students pulled away from each other, embarrassed by the teacher's censure coupled with quiet snickering from their classmates.

Tatsumi paced by the lectern. "Any further questions will be answered at the end of class. Before I begin my lecture, there will be a practical demonstration of compatibility."

His gaze wandered to the upper corner of the room, and he paused. "Are there any volunteers?" Hands shot up like various earth-toned weeds, but his eyes didn't waver. "Tsuzuki. Why don't you and your Meister show everyone how it's done?"

He hadn't glanced towards the chalkboard after seeing who was teaching, and his dark shades kept anyone from knowing where his attention was. Tsuzuki stiffened. _What is he up to, making me the center of attention like that?_ "Sure." He stood, and ignored the whispers and glares.

So close to the front of the classroom, his prospective Meister was already on the platform, staring straight ahead at the undecorated wall. That is, until he stepped in front of him, blocking his view.

"Introduce yourselves properly to the class." The teacher's even tone did more than to suggest their next move.

They both turned towards the seated group, neither really liking the attention of the class. The shorter of the two opened his mouth but paused in the face of the raw hostility that a great many of his classmates drilled into him with their eyes and disapproving frowns.

"I'm Secret Blackriver, one-star Meister." He started to bow but caught himself and played it off as a shrug instead. Glad it was over, he quickly turned away from the smoldering onslaught though it itched like a sunburn. He faced Tsuzuki, who was removing and pocketing his sunglasses to introduce himself, like he had when they had first met.

"Most of you already know my name, but at the teacher's request my name is Tsuzuki Asato." He smiled brightly, knowing that his lack of reaction angered the ones who thought he was better off not paired or, better yet, expelled from the academy.

As Tsuzuki turned to face him again, Secret briefly looked into the odd-colored eyes before settling his gaze uncomfortably somewhere over his shoulder. With a frown, Secret suddenly pivoted his head towards the class, just as someone threw a crumpled piece of paper at him, but Tsuzuki's long-fingered hand caught it, crushed it, and tossed it aside. Without missing a beat, Tsuzuki stepped back. "You okay, Secret?"

Tatsumi's reprimand was brutal and swift, and within a minute the offending student was sent out, her untested partner looking smug. Without looking at Tsuzuki, Secret nodded hesitantly.

"Well, well. My apologies, Blackriver. Some people have no manners. A specific punishment will be doled out to the offender, if you would proceed with the testing?" The teacher's voice was kind, but steely.

Momentarily stunned, Secret tore his gaze away from what were supposed to be neutral classmates on his first day at the academy and held his hand open invitingly towards Tsuzuki. With a nod and without glancing at the Weapon directly, his look of practiced boredom changed to concentration.

In a flash of dark purple, Tsuzuki phased completely to his Weapon state, and hopped amorphously to Secret's warm hand.

The kid changed his hold to two-handed on the hilt for comfort and ran his eyes over the blue-steeled sword that was so dark it was nearly purple. Testing his grip a bit to see if the sword was too heavy or hot and finding nothing amiss, he sliced the air with the traditional Japanese sword before going back to an 'at rest' stance.

There were two claps, and Secret dropped the blade down as he faced the teacher who was smiling. "All the signs of a good match. Very nicely done, you two. You may return to your seats." Tatsumi turned back to the class, apparently unwilling to let his students be unsupervised behind his back just yet, and began his lecture.

When the kid relaxed his grip, almost dropping him, Tsuzuki re-formed to Human state, put his sunglasses back on, and quickly headed back to the fourth tier of seats—all while trying to keep from showing his enthusiasm to angry stares trailing him.

Like Tatsumi had said, there were no symptoms of incompatibility, yet. That was very rare for Tsuzuki, who often had to match his wavelength to whoever wielded him, which was slow-going and bothersome. Yet, his new Meister didn't seem to see their compatibility as something momentous as the slight form stoically moved behind the others on the small walkway between the second tier of conjoined desks and first tier's middle bench.

Opening his notepad and picking up a pencil, Secret also apparently didn't notice how the students reacted around him. Many were glancing at him in disgust or pulling away from him like he carried an infectious disease.

Eyes closed and leaning his chin against a fist, Tsuzuki sighed as Tatsumi began, the familiar sound of clacking chalk on blackboard constantly reminding of where he was.

The lecture was nothing new. The teacher, because that was all Tatsumi was to him now, was all clinical objectivity about compatibility and its anti-thesis. Personally, Tsuzuki always thought it was all extremely subjective. The symptoms of a pair-rejection were too numerous to really remember them all, but the teacher listed them off one by one, filling the board. Tsuzuki's personal definition of a true complementary pair just felt 'right'—it lacked the cold technicalities the teacher was in the process of listing.

Tsuzuki stifled a yawn. All that mattered to Tatsumi's long-ass lecture was that if the soul wavelengths of a pair didn't match up, forget about wielding or being wielded.

With the compatibility issue out of the way, Tsuzuki wondered how he was going to pass. He hated lectures and avoided homework whenever he could, so it wasn't surprising that his marks on the exams were equally atrocious when he didn't do the work or come to class. Assignments were his strong suit. Or at least he thought they were. It'd been awhile since his last successful one.

He opened an eye to look down at the lectern. Now, Pairs were being called up three at a time to introduce themselves and then to test for compatibility. Despite the obvious animosity of his classmates, Tsuzuki leaned forward with his arms outstretched on the built-in desk, laying his head down chin first, good and ready for a nap.

He knew that after the whole class had performed the assessment task, the ones who were compatible would be given a break while the incompatible ones were sorted out under the teacher's ever watchful eye. Having to wait until everyone finished made Tsuzuki sleepy.

When Tatsumi started calling out the no-go Pairs, who would be staying behind to try to make new matches, Tsuzuki straightened blinking blearily behind his shades and rolled the stiff muscles in his shoulders, neck, and back. "... for the rest of you, you're dismissed until the morning after tomorrow. Be on time. If you wish to complete a mission, you may, but you will only be able to lift the easier mission plaques from the Death Board until we get farther along in the semester." Hardly anyone heard the teacher finish the last sentence as the class was all too happy to empty out of the room as soon as possible.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Tsuzuki and Secret head over to their dormitory, but not before stopping by Walter's place first... It should be explosive!


	2. The Hated Weapon

_**Author's notes**: So this is all because **Luna-sempai** said go for it. You can all thank her by going to read her stories. Anywho, this is based in the Soul Eater universe so expect some things to have been changed for this rehashing. I tried to make the Soul Eater verse as approachable as possible for people not familiar with it; so, if any of you get overly confused by what's going on drop me a line so I can embellish parts in the story._

_**Beta:** **SlickCiggy **  
_

_**Warning:** Some OOCness and name changes._

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

_**Kishin soul**: A corrupted soul hell-bent on creating chaos, spreading madness, and causing destruction wherever it goes. A Weapon eats them to power up.  
_

* * *

Making his way down the steps, he stood next to his Meister—because that was what Secret was now—while the kid gathered up the informational packets in hand, after putting the notepad and pen into the back pocket of his jeans. Without a word, Secret swung his legs over the bench and walked past him stepping to the floor level.

It was like he was being given the cold shoulder. Tsuzuki guessed Secret really had taken the hint from his classmates but was pretending not to care. Compared to now, the kid had seemed plenty relaxed when they had first met.

"Do you wanna talk about what's bothering you?"

The kid started as if he was sure he'd gotten away with the 'not-caring-and-bored' routine. Secret stopped in the middle of the clear hallway, facing away from him. "Why do they hate you?"

"Because ten years ago I did something unforgivable. I..." Tsuzuki thought his rebellious throat was going to choke him to death from how much it hurt his heart to even think of putting his horrible blunder into words. Bright laughter in the bright sun shimmered in the old memory of a picnic with his sister, and he was starting to feel nauseous as he remembered the following night that he had failed to protect his first Meister, the night he had, instead, contributed to her death. "I-"

"Forget it. I don't need the details," the harsh words brought the unpleasant feelings from memory lane to a screeching halt, "I'm sorry I asked." Secret still wouldn't look at him, but at least the extra tension in his shoulders eased, along with the initial harshness in his quiet voice.

Silently, they passed several Pairs down the corridor without incident to Tsuzuki's relief. Not that he wouldn't be able to handle anything that came at him or his Meister, but there were far too many people who could and would try injure Secret just to keep a dangerous Weapon like himself out of the field.

Snapping out of his protective mindset, Tsuzuki realized they were in the hall where the missions were posted. "You sure you're up to this, Secret?"

After surveying the deep green board, the kid's skinny hand reached out and plucked a board that resembled a large, black-framed prayer plaque from its hook. It read 'Collect the Bloody Zombie Menace' and listed a town below. It didn't sound like a particularly easy Kishin soul to collect, but if Secret had lifted it then it meant they'd be able to deal with whatever the mission threw at them—it was rare for a mission to turn out bad anyhow because Lord Death wanted to keep new Pairs from dying due to a misjudgment in Mission Rank.

Wooden plank in hand, Secret took the loop of ribbon with a heart attached and put the plaque back up, placing the ribbon into his pant pocket with its notepad and pencil.

Grinning with renewed anticipation at the prospect of being on the field, Tsuzuki paused. He hardly knew anything about his partner's capabilities. "Do you need to practice swinging me around more before we go out?"

"Not particularly. My family specialized in Japanese Weapons."

He frowned, unsure. Something had gotten the kid really down... at least, he thought so. "Do you not like that I'm a Sword Type?"

Secret bristled as if insulted. "That's not it."

"Then, you don't get along with your family?" He tried to modulate his tone to make it unhurried and understanding, but it didn't matter since Secret's response was a shrug and silence. Tsuzuki figured he'd pushed the 'let's-get-to-know-each-other' questioning a little too far, too early, and backed off of that topic. "Do you have anything we could get around with?"

Secret's forehead scrunched up a little as he thought, and then spoke slowly. "Lord Death gave me a bus ticket to get here, so I could only take what I could carry."

Tsuzuki didn't blink at the admission that the big D had given Secret special treatment; it meant Secret had the potential to be an excellent Meister which improved Tsuzuki's own chance further. "That's okay. I'll see if I can get my friend to bring my old bicycle up to specs. Just don't drink anything he hands you!"

Secret's brows rose far into the depths of his dark blonde bangs, and Tsuzuki chuckled, even though he wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. His dearest friend was as batty as he was eccentric. "It'll probably take him the rest of the day to fix it, and the Village of Naasak that we're heading to is a half-day trip to and from by bicycle anyway. Until then, let's check out where we'll be living."

Secret grunted, and Tsuzuki took that as a grouchy kind of assent. He was beginning to see that Secret was entirely too serious for his own good. Later, he'd have to help the kid lighten up.

They went to the Administrative window to pick up the keys to their two-bedroom apartment suite which all DWMA students received, unless they had relatives to live with in Death City. Apparently, Secret had already gotten his keys and mentioned that his things were already in the room he picked. _Not a big deal, I'm not picky about where I sleep._

Before they reached the student apartment complex, Tsuzuki had them stop at the small storage place just outside of it. He had some trouble getting his key to work in the rusted padlock on the small hanging corrugated door, but, when it finally snapped open, he removed it and pocketed both the lock and its key. Leaning down, he grabbed the strap and yanked the door up.

Dust and cobwebs fluttered free from door's pathway as it slid up and out of the way. On the concrete floor in the cool tiny room there were two boxes covered in dust and a new black bag that looked like it'd been put there more recently. In the corner stood a bicycle so old that the paint job was nearly scraped off and the steel bars of its frame were pocked with rust. The seat cover was barely there with thick chunks of foam sticking out, like unkempt hair, from the exposed holes. The gear box and chain looked like it was in even sadder shape with so much red rust clinging to it.

Tsuzuki stepped in and knelt at the side of the aged thing, inspecting it. "It needs new tires too. The brakes don't look too bad." He squeezed them to check if they worked properly. They did, kind of—with some wiggling—but it took some time for the joints to let go.

"It'd be easier to just replace them."

The voice behind him startled him. He had gotten pretty absorbed with the thing, since the old memories of buying it and decorating it with his sister lapped at his brain. He looked up with a grin, and tapped the front wheel lovingly. "You have the money? Because I sure don't. Don't worry, Walter will fix her right up."

He hauled the bicycle out. After he leaned it up against another unit's door, he re-locked the unit up. Hoisting his bicycle up—because he knew it wouldn't roll if he tried that—Tsuzuki carried it, while Secret followed behind him.

Three blocks downhill towards the slowly descending sun, Tsuzuki led Secret down a narrow, brick-lined alleyway. At the sight of a large archway, which was separated by the street with a gap, the Weapon smiled looking forward to seeing Walter again. He clambered down the steps alongside the building to the large door, putting the bike down in the cramped landing in front of the door. "Remember what I said, Secret. Other than that, don't worry! He's a really nice guy."

Frowning, Secret didn't look convinced, preferring to stand at the top of the stairs with his arms crossed instead of trying to share the darkened landing.

Tsuzuki pushed his finger into the crevice of the golden doorbell, shaped like the bloody moon that hung out in the night.

A moment later there was a flash of light that briefly lit the inside of the lower level, followed quickly by a boom that rattled the dark windows.

Tsuzuki waved a hand dismissively. "It's just one of his experiments exploding. Don't look so worried."

Secret frowned with consternation and was about to say something when the door suddenly swung inwards, and thick smoke billowed out. "Come in, come in!" A very bubbly, cheerful voice insisted through his coughing, "the smoke isn't any more toxic than a burning fireplace! Please come in, I don't receive many guests!"

Tsuzuki bustled in, bicycle in hand, shimmying sideways so it didn't catch the door frame or anything poking out from the tables set on either side of the entrance. "Hey Walter! I need my bike fixed!"

Once the smoke had cleared more, Secret cautiously poked his head in slowly, looking ghostly in the bright fluorescent light.

A man in a lab coat with a long blond ponytail that fell well below his shoulders smiled with friendliness. "Ah! Tsuzuki, come in, come in! New Meister without his own set of wheels, eh?" His hands traced over the frame carefully, while golden eyes scoured over the sad piece of work. "How long has it been?"

Secret ventured inside like all sides of the room were lined with bear traps, staring at the racks upon racks of chemicals held in beakers, flasks, and corked vessels.

Shutting the door to give him time to answer, Tsuzuki took off his sunglasses, knowing that Walter's ventilation system would clear the rest of the lingering smell of smoke in little time. "Uh..." His mouth went dry, and he cleared his throat anxiously, not willing or wanting to remember more memories he'd rather forget. "Almost ten years, I think."

Walter's hand faltered. "That long, huh."

A brief sadness touched the man's features before he tilted his head and suddenly stood up. "Oh my! And this must be your Meister. Hello there, my name is Aydin Walter, but everyone calls me Walter." Walter extended his hand but after a few more moment he realized that the kid wasn't going to shake it and dropped his arm without so much as a frown. "So! A Freshman, eh?"

When there was no response only a long stare, Tsuzuki gestured towards the kid. "His name's Secret Blackriver, and yeah he came with the new students today."

"Awfully quiet type." Walter shrugged. "Anyway, because of all the favors I owe you I'll get this contraption up to speed for you. Need it by early tomorrow morning, huh?"

"Sounds great! Thanks so much for this, Walter." Tsuzuki offered a hand to seal the deal. They shook and clapped a free hand to the shoulder across, a distant hug if there ever was one. A loud clang sounded from their left.

"Hey kiddo, be careful!" Walter swept over towards him.

Startled from bumping into a stack of metal scrap, Secret tensed looking somewhat nervous as he bent, and grabbed the piping that had fallen onto the stone floor. "Sorry," came the muttered reply.

"Give it here." Walter took the offered piping, and carefully wedged it where it wouldn't fall out again, "it's quite alright. Careful, you know, there are dangerous materials in here that can't take a beating, if you know what I mean? We don't want you blowing yourself up after Tsuzuki just found you."

Nervously, Secret's eyes flicked in the direction of the door.

"We should really get going, Walter. We have our first assignment tomorrow and all..." Tsuzuki sent a concerned look towards his longtime friend and glanced in Secret's direction without turning his head.

"Oh... well...! Don't stay for me, old friend. It'll be done early, so don't be late!" Picking up the bike, Walter set it down on the only empty table in the room, while Tsuzuki pulled open the door for Secret, who needed no prompting to leave. "See you later, Walter!"

The scientist waved him off, already fixated on the machine in disrepair before him, so Tsuzuki pulled the door shut behind him, and headed up the stairs not surprised that the kid was almost down the dim alleyway. "Hey Secret! I have some things to get, so don't worry about waiting up!"

The Meister paused to listen and then continued walking unperturbed. Tsuzuki chuckled to himself and before long he was reopening the storage unit. He paused at the threshold, thinking he really should stop stacking the two boxes like that after packing up his single-room apartment the day before the start of a new semester. First, he reached down and swung the packed bag, which he lived out of when he didn't have a partner, over his shoulder.

But year after year he stacked those two boxes up exactly the same way, and, like now, he lifted the top box up without looking at the label on the box below it because the flowing script would make his heart constrict worse.

There was no practical reason to keep the dusty, old box with Ruka's possessions in it, but he was afraid he'd forget her and forget how badly he screwed up. Quite aware that he would always have to leave that other box behind, he carried his box out of the unit. Setting it down, he shut and locked the place up with a snick of weighty finality. _Even with Secret, I won't forget you Ruka._

With another heave, he picked up the heavy box and hauled both items to the apartment he would be sharing with Secret.

After two flights of stairs, he didn't think he'd easily lift the box again if he put it down. So, he leaned the box against the wall and lifted his knee to help brace it as he unlocked the door. After setting the load down in the bit of room afforded just beyond the door as a foyer, he shut and locked the door behind him, and scoped out the entire living room-kitchen area from the entrance. He heard the shower running as he set the bag down and shrugged out of his well-loved, black jacket, hanging it on the hook on the wall.

The place was fully furnished, and the decoration in place was set against an outlandish paint job splashed in lively colors on the wall. The other rooms were not nearly as vibrant, and they could repaint the color of their bedroom if the one provided didn't sit right with them. After taking off his shoes, Tsuzuki almost tripped over a smaller pair of sneakers that were splayed out. He gave them only cursory attention as he went into the kitchen area to check out how well the cabinets, pantry, and refrigerator were stocked.

Secret apparently had a healthy streak because there were herbal teas, fresh fruits and veggies, and numerous other unsavory canned foodstuffs. Either that or he hated sweet stuff, which to Tsuzuki didn't seem possible. _Of course he wouldn't like the one thing I'm addicted to._ He looked crestfallen at the cabinets.

Mourning the lack of goodies and vowing to fix that, Tsuzuki sighed as he headed out of the kitchen, briefly looking over the table, chairs, and couch all crammed together near the window. He walked down the hall, passing the bathroom that was currently occupied and the only other closed door that was presumably Secret's room. Apparently like his namesake, the guy was intensely private.

He stepped into what would be his bedroom, and casually glanced over the made bed with its soft mattress, desk with its lamp and chair, the dresser with its mirror, the wall with its clock, and the open closet with its sliding door. The small window over the desk let plenty of natural light in and the room glowed a comfy pink color.

Meister-Weapon Pairs were typically male-female, so the pink made sense. Tsuzuki figured that it wasn't Secret's favorite color.

No point in changing the color until he got tired of it. He headed back to the entrance way, collecting the box and bag and taking it to his room. He unpacked, and set everything where he wanted with practiced movements.

His closet only had five changes of worn, but maintained, clothes that were all alike hanging up in a row and his dresser was similar with carefully folded clean laundry set in each drawer by type. Then after the two extra pairs of shoes were put on the floor of the closet, books were the only piles left around him in short stacks. At the very bottom of the box he pulled out four square boards, a small plastic bag of screws, and four folded up legs with pegged holes running up along them.

Pulling open the bag of knob-screws and setting it nearby, he unfolded the legs and grabbed a board, and began to reconstruct a cheap bookcase, repeating until all the shelves were in it. Once he was done, he put it in the space against the wall between the dresser and the desk, moving to pick up all the books and set them on it. Finally finished, he sat down on the bed, loosening his tie.

The room was exactly how he wanted it, if lacking the greenery of a place that would have felt like home. He had long given up trying to take care of indoor plants because of how often he moved.

He stood, put the empty day bag and plastic bag that had held the screws into the box, and slid both doors to the right, setting the box into the empty half of the closet, and re-closing it. _There._ Smelling food cooking, he looked down the hall, and heard the bathroom fan running. He was a little hungry, but it didn't mean the kid was willing to share. With how cold Secret's personality was, Tsuzuki didn't want to feel like a beggar. He could make something after Secret was done. Pulling a book off the shelf, he sat on the only chair in the small room to read.

"Hey."

Checking the clock, Tsuzuki blinked and turned away from the book. He'd lost fifteen minutes. "Yeah?"

"I had some leftovers. You can have it if you clean up."

Before he could answer or thank the kid, Secret went back to his own bedroom and shut the door.

Looking at the page number to remember it, he pushed his chair back and stretched where he stood.

In the kitchen he found a whole spread of cuisine that was very similar to the foods he was raised on. Appetizer, main dish, salad, dessert... Secret really had outdone himself. Even if it was depressing that the 'dessert' was simply a sweet-bean bun. The whole setup didn't seem like leftovers to him, but he wasn't about to question a free meal and polished it off in a short time.

Then he saw the large pile of pans and pots sitting in the sink.

He groaned, but as promised he pulled up the sleeves of his button-down and started by rinsing everything, and then piled them into the very small dishwasher. Adding soap before turning it on, he finished what was left in the sink, letting the dishes air-dry on several towels. By the time he was done cleaning off the stove top, the sun had been down for some time.

Since he expected they were going to have a long day tomorrow, he readied himself for bed, turning on the alarm he had set on the desk by the bed, and passed out.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Tsuzuki and Secret head to their next assignment over rough terrain! Don't give up!


	3. Journey to Assignment

_**Author's notes**: Yay for fast updates! After this chapter, I'm still waiting on my beta to go over more. Sorry, folks if it takes longer than a few days. _

_**Beta:** **SlickCiggy **  
_

_**Warning:** Some OOCness.  
_

* * *

The noise next to his ear was annoying but not enough for him to wake up. The bucket of cold water was, and he came awake sputtering, covered in goosebumps from the chill and his clothes clinging wetly. "Secret!"

"Get dressed. Eat the leftovers. Then we're going." The infuriating kid walked out with a large red pitcher in hand.

Tsuzuki was incensed. He might have done something about it if he wasn't so afraid that his Meister would drop him like a sack of bricks. After stripping his bed and letting the damp sheets cover the room, Tsuzuki growled as he headed to the shared bathroom with his clothes and took a quick shower.

His mood wasn't any better when he came out and devoured three bowls worth of familiar food; this time of the breakfast variety. _Leftovers, my ass. You trying to apologize to me, kid?_

Dressed in another long-sleeved shirt, Secret was reading and drinking tea, and hadn't looked up when he had entered.

_Why the hell would anyone drop cold water on someone without just reason..._

"You hit your snooze button seven times. I didn't think you were getting up," he turned the page as he continued reading, and that nonchalance smarted Tsuzuki's pride.

"Couldn't you have woken me normally?" Tsuzuki was trying to get along, but—damn—it was not okay to drop icy water on him when he was sleeping so soundly.

"No. If you ignored that racket, you would have ignored me too," came the bored reply. "Are you done yet?"

"I'm not doing dishes," Tsuzuki announced as he carried his dishes over to the sink.

Secret didn't respond, choosing instead to read more of his book.

That was when Tsuzuki noticed that there weren't any dishes to do.

He rinsed his three bowls and plastic utensils free of miso soup, rice, and rolled sweet omelet anyway. He couldn't stay really mad when his partner's cooking was too good, but he was still irritated. After placing the used dishes in the dishwasher, he slipped on his coat and shoes and put on his shades. "I'm going to Walter's."

The kid was already behind him—the book left alone on the table—as he put his feet into his shoes, tying them up, and slipped a denim blue jacket and a one-shoulder, light green backpack on that Tsuzuki hadn't seen before. "I already went and got your bike. It's leaning against the wall outside."

Somewhat surprised by his forethought and yet still annoyed, the Weapon opened the door, and there she was gleaming a beautiful rich blue with brand new tires and a white seat that looked very comfortable to ride on for someone male and shorter than him. Someone Secret's height. "You know how to get to the town where our assignment is, right?"

At Secret's nod, he grinned, and then morphed to his sword state. Bringing a scabbard into existence he set himself in the catch that ran the length of the bike frame. 'Let's go.'

Looking only a little unsettled at the sudden thought-voice Tsuzuki sent to him, Secret took one look at the bike and frowned, "you've got to be kidding."

'Nope, I'm dead serious!'

Thirty minutes later, they were well away from Death City, Secret cursing under his breath at his already burning legs.

'Don't have very much stamina, huh?' Tsuzuki prodded as payback for his rude awakening. 'What are we going to do if your legs give out?'

"I'm not turning around." The Meister gritted his teeth, panting from exertion. "I won't go back until I get a Kishin soul for you. And then after you have 99 in all, we'll go after a Witch's soul."

The bike bumped and jostled around on the rough terrain. There wouldn't be any roads for some miles yet, but at least it wasn't hilly or mountainous, and they had gotten out of the sandy area surrounding Death City.

'You have a vendetta against a particular Witch?'

But there was no answer to that, and Tsuzuki knew better than to expect one.

After another half hour, Secret disembarked taking off the sack he had packed, and drank from a filled canteen wiping at the sweat on his face. Because his legs were twitching from the drawn-out and strenuous abuse, he sat and laid back against the opposite side of the bike from Tsuzuki's Sword Form. "How much longer until we get there?"

'At the rate you're going? Another hour.' Tsuzuki was beginning to feel a bit guilty about how hard Secret was pushing himself. Secret was being much more mature about the situation without saying a word of complaint, while Tsuzuki was left feeling small and petty for holding a grudge because of some cold water.

After running his fingers against his legs, feeling for the sore spots and rubbing them down some, Secret stood again with some difficulty and walked for a bit, and then stretched for a while longer. Then he got back on the bike and continued.

Tsuzuki was feeling cramped himself by staying in his Weapon form the entire time, but knew they'd lose extra time if he phased back to his multi-purpose state to stretch as well.

Secret took another three breaks like that, until they found a road. Of course it was gravel and dirt, and in no better shape than what was traversed before, but a road meant civilization was near.

His Meister's perseverance and stubbornness again struck Tsuzuki as odd for someone so young. The only people who were young and yet old at the same time often were struck by some tragedy. He knew this because he'd lived through hell himself.

Unusual, but easily recognizable, vibrations coming through the bike jolted him from his musings. 'Hey, incoming!' Tsuzuki thought-yelled, as the roar of an engine blasted their way, but Secret wasn't reacting fast enough.

Tsuzuki phased to Human state pushing off the ground with his feet—simultaneously grabbing both Secret and the bike with a scooping motion of his arms—and slammed against both managing to shove them into a ditch. The large truck bounced by at a high speed, heedless of the travelers it almost ran over. Tsuzuki picked himself up enough to watch it roar on farther down the road, not liking how his imagination painted could-have-beens. "That damn truck almost—"

"Get off of me!" The body underneath him thrashed hard, and Tsuzuki was thrown back on his ass.

Secret was pale and shivering, arms wrapped around himself as if he was suddenly cold. With the amount of sweating work he'd done Tsuzuki could make himself believe that that was all there was to it, but there was something off about his reaction.

He reached forward hesitantly. "Hey, your hand's bleeding."

"Don't!" Secret flinched back, taking a tumble over the bike he'd been perched on into a small puddle of murky water, and hugged his arm closer. His bloodied knuckles dug into his side, and his unhurt hand clutched a handful of the sweaty orange long-sleeve he was wearing under the jacket. Meanwhile, his jean-clad legs were skewed under him, soaking up a dirty blotch along his thigh where it laid in the muddy water. "I can't... I..." He breathed in and out sharply, cutting off anything else he had to say.

"I'm sorry." Tsuzuki's hand wavered._ He barely stands me!_

Sitting up and uncurling his hurt hand to look at it, Secret seemed to collect himself enough to breathe more calmly. "It's not you. I just don't like to be touched."

Tsuzuki knelt next to him, careful to keep himself outside of reach, still seeing traces of the fear in Secret that had been so intense just a moment ago, especially with how his wide-eyed gaze still darted about as if waiting for an attack. "Secret—"

"I won't tell you." Secret glared, even as his small form shook. "Give me some space."

Tsuzuki stood somberly, feeling as if he wasn't trusted as Secret's eyes bore into him.

Secret turned away, holding the orange fabric tighter in his fist. "Look, I don't have a problem with you. There's just things I can't talk about to-to someone I barely know."

_What the hell have you lived through?_ Tsuzuki waited as Secret paused, like he wanted to say more, but when he said nothing Tsuzuki finally asked. "Are you hurt? Besides your hand, I mean."

Shaking his head, Secret slowly uncurled completely, shakily standing up. He stared at the crusting blood on his knuckles and then spun around quickly to look down at the blue bicycle. "The bike! Is it okay?"

Feeling somewhat touched by Secret's concern—but knowing it had to do with it being their only mode of transportation besides their own two feet—Tsuzuki set it upright. He spun each tire lovingly, pedaled the bike carefully with his hands to check the chain and gear box, and then gently squeezed the handbrakes to see if the brakes engaged. His prized possession was still travel-ready.

"We're lucky. We only lost the stand." He continued to hold the bike upright for Secret as the teenager picked the long piece of metal off the ground and put it in his bag. "I think we're only ten minutes away, if you're up to it."

"Yeah. I can do that." Taking the bike, the kid winced as he sat on it. Before Tsuzuki could suggest anything else, Secret held up a hand. "Get on so we can get going."

"Alright." Tsuzuki complied with the request, still worried.

Pushing off and balancing, Secret pedaled to gain enough speed. "Thanks."

Tsuzuki was bemused. 'For what?'

Silent for only a moment because Secret seemed more focused on the road than on Tsuzuki, he spoke, breathing heavily, "The truck."

'I would have done that for anybody.'

"And yourself?"

'Me?' That was certainly an odd question. Tsuzuki would have blinked if he had eyelids, 'Well, I have good reflexes. Besides that, it takes more than a truck to take me down.'

Their conversation ended just like that, as though Secret didn't have anything more to say.

In roughly the amount of time he had guessed, Tsuzuki saw that they were entering the town as Secret slowed and stopped by a stall with a man selling fruit.

The young Meister looked around. There were decorations everywhere as if a festival was about to start or already had.

"I can't wait to hear Maria Wong sing tonight!"  
"Yeah, I heard she had the most beautiful voice!" Two girls chattered as they walked past, adding to the noise of the people hanging around.

Tsuzuki phased so he could stretch and walk, while Secret pushed the bike along. "I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat!"

Secret gave him a long look. "You hardly did anything. I'm the one who should be hungry."

The lanky young man really did blink this time and looked him over. "You mean, you aren't?"

The barely-teen's face reddened from the sudden intense scrutiny aimed at him. "I didn't say that."

"Okay!" _Desserts, here I come!_ Clapping his hands and rubbing them together, Tsuzuki thought out loud. "Well, I know a couple of good restaurants we can go to. Any requests?" There were several he would have loved to go to had they more money than the allotment Lord Death allowed per mission.

"Nothing that will sit in my stomach too long, and nothing too expensive. We're broke, remember?" Secret grimaced, like having little money bothered him.

"I know just the place!" Tsuzuki set a brisk pace, passing by and sometimes going through large crowds of people, while Secret tried his best not to bump into anyone. When he began to fall behind, Tsuzuki finally noticed and had to go back to rescue the trapped, touchy teen, who was glaring at the people around them that had parted so easily for the Weapon.

"Come on, Secret," he hollered at the light-boned boy because the plaza was jam-packed with noisy, excited people. Nodding, Secret stuck close to him as possible this time—probably because he didn't want to get separated again.

When his sleeve was grabbed, Tsuzuki turned just in time to catch the frowning Meister as he stumbled forward and fell into a dead faint; the bike rolled forward only a split-second more before collapsing onto the ground.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next Time:** Secret and Tsuzuki go on the hunt for the Zombie Menace! Be careful!


	4. The Zombie Menace Attacks

_**Author's notes**: Same deal as last time. It is close to Christmas and my beta is a very busy person! On the plus side, this is about a 5000-word chapter. Thanks for all your reviews, folks! :D  
_

_And the lovely Beta, **SlickCiggy**_,_ thank you for catching my mistakes so easily.  
_

_**Warning:** Some OOCness. Um, oh and violence!_

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

_**Deathscythe**: A term used to describe a Weapon that has consumed 99 Kishin souls + 1 Witch; this is a Weapon's ultimate form. When they become a Deathscythe, they are lofted to a high managerial position, overseeing graduated Pairs who roam large tracts of land for any sign or presence of Kishin or Witch activity. As part of Lord Death's personal arsenal, Deathscythes are called upon when there is a dire emergency requiring Lord Death's immediate attention._

**Stein** & **Spirit**: These two are bonafide Soul Eater characters, except they are 14 years younger than where their canon begins. Just in case you were wondering where they came from.

* * *

Secret was aware of a breeze stirring through the leaves of a tree and heard birds chirping. Even better, the crowds of people were gone.

"Hey, you're finally awake. I brought take-out for you." The dark, friendly blur sat on the bench right above his head.

After blinking a couple of times, Secret glared as he sat up and inched away to get a little more space. "You left me lying on this bench out here? What if someone had robbed me?"

The scent of broth wafted from the container that was shoved in his direction with a spoon on top. "I had your bag with me, and the bike's with a repairman to fix the stand, since we don't exactly need it to get around town." He set the bag on his lap and patted it.

Hesitant fingers took the soup container, pried open the lid, and set it aside. He took a careful sip of a spoonful and paused to take a deep breath before finishing the bit in the spoon.

Tsuzuki had eaten his already, and was watching Secret with interest. "The perverts don't come out until night, you know?"

Having just taken another spoonful of soup, a flushed Secret choked and coughed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but where he was.

Crooking an eyebrow, Tsuzuki continued to look somewhat serious. "I'm not dumb, Secret. If you had been worried about our things, you would have looked for them right after you woke up."

Taking another deep breath, as if to relax himself, Secret began to eat a little faster, studiously avoiding Tsuzuki's gaze.

"Anyway, while you were passed out and I was getting our food, I also heard some rumors about something killing people at night. None of the missing persons' bodies were found, but there's been plenty of blood found in alleyways and other secluded places."

Secret frowned.

"I know, I know. We can't stay too long. That's why I went to the police station and asked them about the murders." Tsuzuki pulled a map, which had been folded incorrectly, from his jacket, opened it up, and tapped the inked outline around a section of the town. "They gave me nil for intel, but I was warned away from this whole area."

"You figured this all out while I was passed out on the bench?" Secret asked with a tetchy tone as he looked over the map, trying to get his bearings. Tsuzuki reached down and picked up a piece of gravel.

Tsuzuki grinned. "Watch." He tossed the rock, but about five feet out it hung in the air for a split-second before a flicker of light sent it tumbling down onto the ground smoking. "I wouldn't leave you unprotected if I had a choice."

Extremely tense, Secret clutched the bench. "But isn't that..."

"Magic? No. It's one of Walter's inventions. It creates a barrier with electricity, which is my Element. You really ought to trust me, kid."

"Stop calling me, kid!" There was a raw raggedness to Secret's voice as if it had exploded forth from a dark place within him.

"Sorry." _I don't remember calling him kid that often..._ "Slip of the tongue, Secret. You're at least ten years younger than me. I'll stick with your name from now on."

"I'm sixteen years old."

Tsuzuki's head whipped around to look him over. He chuckled. "Well, you sure fooled me. I would've pegged you around fourteen at most."

Squirming from the sudden attention, Secret looked away. "I was sick for a long time..."

"With what? I heard pneumonia can knock some people down for years."

"That's for little kids or the elderly, you moron." Secret's eyes widened, and he stuttered. "I-uh. I mean—"

"You really think so? Huh." Tsuzuki shrugged, "well, I think you're quick to judge being the youngster you are. Besides, it takes a lot more than brains to survive out here."

Secret looked at his soup bowl and stared at the swirling broth and noodles, feeling chastised.

"Look, we aren't going to survive against a Kishin soul if we don't trust each other..."

The blond teen glanced at him warily.

"See! That look! That's what I'm talking about!"

Secret blinked, composing his face to a very neutral expression. "Is that better?"

Putting his face into his palm, Tsuzuki heaved a sigh. "You've got absolutely no clue what's upsetting me, huh?"

His Meister hesitated, shook his head, and refused to make eye contact.

Tsuzuki sat up, raising an index finger up and wagging it. "Alright, alright. I got it. You can start by telling me something about yourself that you normally wouldn't tell someone."

The moment of pure silence was worsened by how rigid Secret sat after placing the empty container and used spoon aside. "... I hate sweet things."

"That's horrible!—but I already figured that out when you forgot to add that necessity in the kitchen cupboards. Try harder."

Taking a deep breath, Secret seemed to be thinking over something and the chilly aura he exuded grew colder. When he finally seemed to decide whatever it was, he looked at Tsuzuki directly. "Before I was discharged from the hospital, I was told that I was not expected to live into my mid-twenties."

Stunned, Tsuzuki blinked. "That's..."

"'Horrible?" Secret shrugged, staring up at the clouds, "better to live out here than to rot on a bed."

"How... I mean, what... you don't seem sick... Wait, are you contagious?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," the teen took a breath that could have been an aborted sigh. "I've... been marked with a death-curse."

The ground seemed to open up underneath Tsuzuki and swallow him up. _God, a death-curse? He's at the mercy of whatever Witch placed it on him!_

Secret glanced at him uncomfortably. "Hey, my parents didn't even cry when they heard the news, and I was only 13 back then, so..."

Tsuzuki blinked away the tears, wiping at them futilely with his hands, "Oh."

Awkwardly, Secret looked over the map, and folded it correctly, while Tsuzuki tried to compose himself.

"So... Ever since I was cursed, I've been able to sense Kishin very strongly. If we go to that area, I should be able to tell if it's nearby."

_You weren't going to tell me about that ability if you had a choice, huh, because you were worried I was going to ask questions._ Understanding Secret's reluctance to share anything about himself, Tsuzuki reached out and Secret placed the properly folded map in his palm. Tsuzuki's fist tightened on it. "Then, let's go. There's no point in beating around the bush." _Being told he was going to die young and his parents reacting so coldly... No wonder he's frigid. Well, I'll just have to show him that acting like a dead man walking is no way to live._

Peering at him with a frown, Secret stood and crossed his arms.

Standing, Tsuzuki grinned, reached into his pocket touching the cool, metal cube there, and turned off the force field. The air beyond them shuddered and revealed the spacious courtyard the mist had been hiding. Pocketing his other hand, the tall man smiled and walked off in the right direction.

Walking fast to keep up, Secret tried to keep his features settled. "Hey! Don't just go off on your own!"

"Secret, just ask me to slow down if I'm walking too fast." The man's smile didn't change one bit, but his pace decelerated.

Secret stared at his back for a bit before looking off. Tsuzuki suspected that Secret still didn't know what to make of him.

Soon, they'd entered the outlined zone on the map. The buildings weren't run-down, but it was an old district so the structures sat closer together, creating cramped alleys every now and then.

"Anything yet, Secret?"

There was a momentary hesitation before he answered tersely, "Only that the Kishin's been around here."

They walked around aimlessly for a while. Tsuzuki prompted his Meister every now and then, but nothing more definite had showed up. Noticing that the shadows had lengthened, Tsuzuki checked his watch. In less than an hour, the sun would be down. "Did you want to go find a hotel and make sure we have a place lined up?"

The teen stopped suddenly, raised his hand to silence Tsuzuki, and then brought that hand to his ear and nodded in the direction ahead.

_'Listen', huh?_ Tsuzuki cocked his head, and started at the sound of a couple somewhere in the dark corner of an alleyway giggling breathlessly and making out.

The unsure, timid voice of a man wavered on the air. "It's getting late, honey. Shouldn't we start heading back? The police said—"

"Oh, don't worry. I want to have a little more fun before the sun goes down." The sultry voice of an eagerly demanding woman heated Tsuzuki's ears.

"_Tsuzuki, now!_" Secret hissed out, opening his hand towards him.

He didn't need to be told twice. He phased, landing effortlessly in his Meister's outstretched hand.

"Get away from her!"

The young, disheveled man pushed the beautiful woman aside and walked towards the only entrance of the alley, throwing his hands up. "Hey, kid. You scared me there. Let us adults have our fun, huh?"

Before Secret could reach the guy, he was mowed down by a clawed hand. "AGHH!"

Blood splashed Secret's travel-stained pants and he stared, transfixed, at the long, flowing white hair of the monster and her glowing red eyes as she grabbed the man's shimmering blue soul.

_'SECRET! Attack it!'_

The shock of Tsuzuki's voice vibrating through his thoughts sent a jolt to his system. He jumped, slicing through the arm of the Kishin and freeing the bright blue soul. Enraged, the Kishin counterattacked immediately, swiping at him with its other long arm. The wicked long claws caught on his back and tore long stripes of red down the right side.

"Ahh!" _Hurts! _Warmth dribbled down his back, and Secret knew he'd left himself too open by that attack of his. His thoughts clouded and scattered as the pain tried to overcome his senses.

_'It's okay. Calm down.'_ Tsuzuki's words had a soothing effect._ 'Let's do this. Are you ready?'_ Jerking his head up, Secret was finally able to focus through the pain, understanding exactly what Tsuzuki was after. _Yes._

"Synchro!" he yelled at the same time as Tsuzuki as their thoughts melded into one. They had a common goal: to prevent this Kishin soul from hurting anyone else.

Concentrating his power and amplifying it through Tsuzuki, electricity jumped and sparked over Tsuzuki's dark blade. "Raiden Pulse!" A thick bolt of lightning licked through the air, forking through the space between air molecules, and struck the one-armed Kishin in the chest.

With a cry, it slammed into the wall, crumpling the brick around it. Its form shrunk, leaving a chalk-white woman with long, dark brown hair in a tattered red gown slumped against the wall.

The blue soul hovered behind him, while Secret tried to catch his breath. The light of synchronization seeped out of his bleeding body.

_'We need to finish this quick!'_

"I know." Stepping forward, he readjusted his grip and sliced downward.

The tip of Tsuzuki sliced through cloth and the form billowed out like a sheet, blocking their vision._ 'A decoy? This is bad!'_

When they finally freed themselves of the thick material, the Kishin had caught the soul by its tail and brought it to its lips. Secret raced to stop the Kishin, but it swallowed the soul in a matter of seconds.

He screamed in fury.

_'Calm down! Going in blind like this_—_!' _Just as Secret drove his Weapon into its chest, the Kishin grabbed him by the throat and dangled him like a little plaything. It smiled.

Tsuzuki swore he could hear a woman screaming and sobbing off in the distance, but he refused to be distracted. _'SECRET! DON'T YOU LET GO!'_

Gasping, the teen's face grew cold and his eyes blurred as he dropped his grip on Tsuzuki's hilt and clutched the enormous hand around his neck. The hand tightened even more. He whimpered and mouthed the air like a fish out of water.

_'Shit!' _Transforming halfway so that his arm remained a blade, Tsuzuki pivoted his foot with great effort and used that momentum to slice cleanly through its shoulder. Blood splattered around him and he used the newly slick surface to turn quickly so he could catch his unconscious partner's tiny frame.

The armless Kishin let out a piteous wail and jumped away with inhuman speed, fleeing from them.

Falling to his knees from the sudden dead-weight in his arms, Tsuzuki settled him more comfortably in his arms. He looked up as he heard pounding feet getting closer.

Forcing his legs to stand with the extra weight and shifting Secret so his right arm was mostly free to transform just in case, he walked into the shadow of the alleyway. It was already twilight.

"HAH!" Black steel sparked against blue as Tsuzuki deflected the blow maintaining his stance.

"How do you like—" The eighteen-year-old redhead with a wickedly curved black scythe for an arm blinked and backed off. "Tsuzuki? What the hell—"

Stepping into the light, Tsuzuki's arm changed back so he could cradle Secret more gently. "Spirit, my Meister's been hurt. We cut off the Kishin's arms so it won't be back for tonight while it regenerates."

"Well, shit, he is in bad shape." Spirit turned and bellowed down the street, "Stein! Found the Pair you were sensing in a fight!"

Tsuzuki tensed. Stein was a genius surgeon, but he liked dissecting things a little too much. He had been on the sharp side of his scalpel more than once during his stay at the Academy.

The lean, young man with gray hair, and wide rectangular spectacles, walked into view; a cigarette clenched loosely between his lips. The most remarkable feature about him was the large black screw sticking up at an odd angle through the side of his skull, the head of it hanging over his left ear. "Well, well. It appears two familiar faces are now quite the interesting pair."

Missing the possessive flicker that had momentarily lit in Tsuzuki's eyes, Stein took a draft of his cigarette. "Does he need immediate attention?"

"It's deep, but not life-threatening." _How the hell does he know Secret? Secret's just arrived at the Academy, and Stein's been out on assignments!_

"Our hotel room's not far from here." Stein stuck the cigarette between his teeth and chewed on the filter a bit, his patch-quilt lab coat flaring in the light breeze. "Come along."

Spirit stepped in front of him, looking worried. "I can carry Soka-dear, if your arms are too tired. You look beat."

"I'm fine." _There's no way I'm letting you._ Tsuzuki blinked, recognizing the possessive emotion that had welled up out of nowhere. _Secret's injured and probably would get mad at me if I let some stranger handle him._ Tsuzuki frowned. _But why the hell am I jealous?_

"Suit yourself." Spirit walked beside him as the night fully surrounded them. "So this your first assignment with Soka-dear?"

"Yeah." _Why do you call him that?_ Tsuzuki wanted to ask, but refrained because the over-friendly Spirit would recognize his jealousy and tease him mercilessly for it. "He's a tough cookie to get to know." _So, how come you're on such a friendly basis with such a cute nickname?_

"As always." Spirit's smile practically split his face in half. "He comes from an old Japanese family, you know? They've got icy relations down to an art form."

Tsuzuki frowned. "Japanese?" _Well, that makes sense. He did say his family specialized in Japanese Weapons._

Groaning, Secret struggled weakly. "Put me down. You're all so noisy..."

Holding him firmly in his arms, Tsuzuki sighed, "You've lost a lot of blood. I doubt you could stand, even if you wanted to."

Before Secret could retort, Spirit reached out in the direction of Secret's head, but Tsuzuki stepped back and his hand missed. Spirit tripped over himself in the process, but apparently would not be so easily dissuaded. "Soka-deaar! You're awake!"

"Don't yell, you idiot. My head is pounding," Secret groaned, turning his head into Tsuzuki's jacket. Secret's voice was muffled as he muttered, "make him go away."

Tsuzuki's heart swelled with a mix of amusement and protectiveness. "Spirit, he isn't feeling good. Don't play around with him."

Spirit pouted and his shoulders drooped. "Brother Spirit only wanted to give him a head-pat..."

"I'm not some kid, you creep," Secret muttered angrily, and Tsuzuki stifled his laughter. Spirit seemed oblivious because he had already changed the topic to one of the numerous ladies he'd dated or been with and how he was in love with this one in particular; he'd said much the same thing with other women, so Tsuzuki didn't take him seriously.

In a short amount of time—but much longer than Tsuzuki wanted to spend in Spirit's company—they made it to the small, run-down hotel. Secret had passed out again, but whether it was from blood loss, exhaustion, or pain Tsuzuki couldn't tell.

The place that the Stein-Spirit Pair were staying at was completely deserted except for the person manning the desk. The desk person looked uneasily at the blood splashed on Tsuzuki's face, hands, and white collar—he wore black for that reason—not to mention the tenderly clutched equally bloody, frail-looking, boy. Spirit wandered over to pay for the new arrivals' stay and explain their appearance.

As he followed Stein to the rented room, Tsuzuki thought that the owners probably didn't get much business since the murdering began nearby.

Smoke lingered in the room as Stein and the Secret-Tsuzuki Pair stepped inside.

"You'll have to soak him in the tub with warm water to peel off his shirt." Stein's voice was gruff as he headed over to the kitchenette.

Tsuzuki found and entered the generous bathroom with his precious cargo stirring awake against him.

Needing to set Secret down, he quickly looked around the richly decorated bathroom with olive-colored satin wallpaper, dully reflecting a vertically striped pattern. The Western-style toilet was situated between a huge ornate sink and an enormous whirlpool-capable tub in the marble-tiled room.

Tsuzuki's arms trembled from fatigue as he sat the somewhat-conscious, hazy-eyed teen on the padded toilet seat, and reached to turn on the bath water. Waiting for it to get hot enough, he checked on his Meister, just as the teen pitched forward.

It was Stein who caught him before Tsuzuki could stop Secret's potential nosedive to the floor. With a new lit cigarette sticking from his mouth, Stein none-too-roughly pushed Secret back against the toilet's tank, before pocketing his scarred hands again.

Taking a draft and blowing out the smoke from the side of his mouth, Stein knelt and inspected the deep cuts somewhat hidden by the congealed blood on the slashed orange fabric. "Getting a concussion on top of those lacerations and blood loss wouldn't be in your best interest," Stein told the out-of-it Secret matter-of-factly. Tsuzuki's chest constricted and his jaw tensed as Stein, noticing that he had an audience, smiled in his classic sadistic fashion. "I have an eye on him. Focus on your task, mm?"

Despite Tsuzuki's respect for Stein's skill at surgery, he didn't feel comfortable with his proximity to Secret. The guy was a curious sadist. He had gotten good at cutting things up by practicing on other people and himself—he had scars on his hands, face and the enormous screw through his skull to prove it.

When the water was running at just the right temperature, Tsuzuki flipped the metal switch to lock water in the tub that could fit five adults. He gently scooped his partner up and away from Stein, who had stepped back to allow him access. With the water still gracefully falling like a waterfall from the fixture on the far side of the bath, Tsuzuki carefully laid his Meister into the enormous tub and propped his head up against the gently-sloped side, not caring that the sleeves of his own shirt and jacket were getting drenched. His watch was water-proof anyhow.

With a noise akin to soft whining, Secret clutched at him with the arm that hurt least as the water lapped against his hurt back and right side.

"Shh, I know it stings. In a bit, Stein will patch you up until you're good as new." Tsuzuki let go, knowing that Secret hated too much contact. His body submerged halfway into the water, and Tsuzuki reached over and twisted the knob to cut off the rushing water.

Without something to hold onto, the Meister's left hand feebly clutched empty air for a moment, until it laid down quietly with the rest of his arm. His eyes, normally bright green, were dulled from pain, but he already seemed more alert than earlier. "That Kishin soul... that woman... is being controlled. She's being forced to kill and eat others. I... I saw..." His complexion paled even more.

"Take a deep breath. There you go... again... now again." Tsuzuki calmly coached him and flexed his unoccupied, comforting hands. He watched the healthy flush slowly fill Secret's cheeks as he gulped down air. "We can talk about that later, okay? Right now you need to focus on healing."

"Why do you care so much? After you heard about the curse, you... acted like it happened to you personally. We hardly know each other! How can you... Why...?" Secret's face was much more open than Tsuzuki had ever seen before. There was a dark vulnerability lurking in his features as if he had been on good terms with trust a very long time ago before he had his ass handed to him by betrayal.

"We're partners, you and I. Of course, I care about what happens to you, Secret."

There was a long moment, where the teen's throat worked as he tried to say something. Finally, he stated monotonously what Tsuzuki had known all along, "I don't understand you."

Before Tsuzuki could say anything else, a pair of scissors hovered in front of him along with the telltale snick-snick-snick of Stein rotating the screw in his head. "Here, cut the shirt off of him." Stein's cool voice sounded morbidly mirthful, "Sorry for interrupting your moment, but the water's turning a pretty pink and I don't think you want him to pass out under my attentions."

Grimacing, Tsuzuki took the implement. "Got it. Secret I'm going to cut your shirt off. Is that okay?"

"...yeah." He weakly lifted his arms off of his chest, the sleeves heavy with water, and limply set them beside him in the water. With great care Tsuzuki lifted the shirt and snipped down the middle. He paused to readjust his hold on the scissors as he carefully cut the collar in half, and, setting the scissors down, he pulled the soaking blood-stained orange fabric away.

Underneath the cheery fabric were a great multitude of scars on a bony chest, so many that it took Tsuzuki a long moment for all of them to register. Secret's eyes were clearer now, but his face had resumed its normal expression—neutral and closed off.

_'The laying and layering of a death-curse is an excruciating process...'_ the voice of an old teacher echoed in Tsuzuki's mind, _'Only the strongest, most vindictive witches can accomplish such a curse without killing their victim, but so too does their victim have to be strong-willed in order to survive it. It's typically Weapons who are cursed with this nasty piece of work as they have a better chance of living through it.'_

_My God. How did you survive it?_ Tsuzuki felt sick, and closed his eyes to calm his reeling stomach.

"Get him out of here, Spirit," Stein's cold voice ordered.

When he reopened his eyes, his Meister's face had whitened considerably and was turned away from him, staring up at an art reproduction hanging on the wall.

Spirit, who had obviously long-finished with the desk-man, tugged on his shoulder. "Tsuzuki, come on. Stein can take care of the rest. Let's get you changed."

Tsuzuki tore his gaze from Secret's face and allowed Spirit to lead him away. He still felt sick, and he was very glad to sit when Spirit pushed him into the chair.

Spirit perched a fist on his hip. "Tsuzuki, you've been acting really strange. Normally you can handle guts and gore like this. So what's up?"

"I... don't know." Spirit was right. When he wasn't looking, the kid had gotten under his skin and affected him more than he realized. "I was a little jealous earlier, too." His smile was strained. "Kiddie of me, huh?"

Spirit took a deep breath and paced across from him near the window. "Look, since he's your partner, it's only right to let him tell you the details later, but there's nothing for you to get jealous over. Stein and I met him through an assignment at a creepy hospital. We were only told to clear the place of Kishin souls."

He hesitated. "After we completed that, we checked the wards for surviving patients, and he was the only one we found still alive and uncorrupted."

Spirit's voice trailed off for half a breath as he stopped in front of the armoire. "You can't keep wearing that mess or the police might arrest you if you go out." Opening it, he pulled out a clean suit on a hanger. "We're about the same size; you can change into this."

"Thanks." Tsuzuki slipped off his jacket and tie, and unbuttoned his shirt.

Spirit looked out the window while Tsuzuki changed. "So, our current assignment has Stein and I on the trail of an unusual witch. The bastard's as slippery as an eel."

"Unusual how?"

"For starters, he wasn't born a witch."

"You mean to tell me that they've figured out a way to..."

"Yes. Lord Death's labeled him a Class A Warlock. Kinda freaky to see guys getting into witching, huh?"

"Shouldn't this work be left to the Deathscythes?"

"Normally, but nobody except for Stein's been able to track him with any regularity, and right now our assignment's just recon. Easy enough for a 2-star Meister and his dependable Weapon."

The door opened and they both looked towards it as Stein stepped out, closing it behind himself.

"He'll be fine." He lit up a cigarette, and grinned. "Too bad. I was looking forward to seeing inside of him." The grin went lopsided as he continued to smoke and cranked the screw's head with his left hand.

_What a psycho._ Tsuzuki exchanged a wary look with Spirit who was looking a little green at the mention of insides. _It's a wonder that Spirit's still in one piece._

"Hm... He's extra special, that one. Don't let him out of your sight." He leaned his head back—the scar that ran up to his cheekbone from the bottom left of his face became more pronounced—as he puffed on his cigarette. "He has about fifty stitches. If he moves around too much, he'll need more."

While the two Weapons watched silently, Stein wobbled a bit as he leaned over, stubbed his cigarette out, and placed his glasses on the stand. "Night." He flopped face-first onto the bed, out cold.

"Whatever you do, don't touch him and don't wake him up. It's a trap." Spirit's eyes were huge and suspicious.

Ignoring Spirit's paranoia, but not blaming him for it, Tsuzuki ran a hand through his hair. "Did you happen to get Secret a change of clothes?"

"I left him the hotel pajamas."

"Oh." Tsuzuki sighed, realizing something. _Yikes, I left his bag back in that alleyway. It's too dangerous in the zone to retrieve it by myself now with a Witch, er, Warlock running around.  
_

The door cracked open. "Get me something else to wear."

"What's wrong with the pajamas, Soka-dear? Is it the print?"

"Don't call me that. And no, it's too drafty."

"Oh yeah. Forgot to give you underwear, right?" Digging through the dresser next to the armoire, Spirit pulled out a pair of boxers, and headed over to the door. A pale hand snatched them from him and the door softly shut.

"Why do you call him that?" The temptation was too hard to ignore. He could bear a little teasing if it meant he could find out more about Secret.

With a bemused expression, Spirit rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it isn't so strange; I mean—"

Harrumphing, Secret, his right arm in a sling, stepped gingerly out of the bathroom leaning heavily against the door-frame in a pajama top three sizes too big for him, the colorful boxers peeking out above his knees. "Stop calling me by that." Pointing rudely at Spirit, Secret growled as he took two steps sliding against the wall on his left side, "I know you even less than _him_."

With a thumb jutted out towards 'him', Tsuzuki felt a little pissy. "Hey!"

Sighing deeply, Secret turned towards Tsuzuki, practically slumped against the wall. "My first name was Hisoka. I gave it up when I joined the DWMA." The look in his eyes was hooded, like he was hiding something important, but instead of ribbing him about it Tsuzuki changed topics.

"Well," Tsuzuki placed his hands on his hips, dismissing the sudden reveal with his heart a little lighter. "I think we'll have to give this assignment up for now. You're too injured to fight."

Secret didn't respond as he managed to slowly hobble to a chair and sink into it with a soft sigh. From the beginning, Tsuzuki wanted to help him but figured the ensuing fight would just pull the stitches worse than whatever strain Secret could put on them. However, from that sigh Tsuzuki was concerned about the pain he was feeling and wondered if Stein had given him medicine for it.

Mouth thinning into an annoyed line, Secret looked away. "Don't look like that. He applied some numbing salve before he worked on me, and then he gave me pills to swallow for the pain."

Surreptitiously glancing at his watch, Tsuzuki smiled. Even without synchronizing it felt like he and his partner were so compatible that they could read each other's mind. "So, given your condition, I'm going to the repairman about adding an attachment to the bike, so we can head out early tomorrow."

Secret just looked at him.

"See you, Secret."

Anticipating a 'bye', Tsuzuki left a little disappointed. His Meister had watched him go without saying a word.

He wondered what it was about him that bothered Secret so much.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next Time: **Secret's been kidnapped? Don't lose all hope!**  
**


	5. The Dark Sword of the Grim Reaper

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you for reading! And thank you **darkqryslynn** for looking this over on such short notice. If anyone sees mistakes, let me know. I love critical feedback because I can make some pretty stupid mistakes... Not surprisingly this fic looks like it's heading down the Hurt/Comfort path. I can't guarantee a lemon, but at least you'll see the Tsusoka pair getting along somewhat better?  
_

**Warning:** Blood, gore, puking, and some OOC-ness ahead. More importantly, intense dark, sexually-charged scene ahead. No rape. As we well know, Muraki likes to molest first.

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

**Dark Sword/Dark Weapon**: A Weapon [all Weapons are technically called _Demon_ Weapons] that has consumed pure souls. Typically, they go crazy and turn into Kishin souls.

* * *

When Tsuzuki came back with the bike, he kicked the new stand down and sat it where he stood. The hotel was in smoldering shambles that the evening fog had initially covered from view. He ran forward hopping over mortar and piping and brick and concrete and broken furniture. "Secret? SECRET?"

"Tsu-zuk—urki," Spirit coughed up blood noisily.

Turning he saw Spirit lying on his side with a broken piece of window frame skewering him. Kneeling by the Weapon, his hands hovered before he took off his jacket and wrapped it around the stick to try to keep the blood from pouring out. "What the hell happened?"

"Warlock took—" The redhead coughed wretchedly, and then rolled over enough to vomit.

"Damn!" Tsuzuki pulled Spirit's hair back. Looking around frantically from where he knelt, Tsuzuki cried out, "STEIN!"_ Shit. Secret's been taken, and Spirit's hurt bad. Where the hell is Stein?_ Fearing the worse, Tsuzuki called out again, "STEIN?"

Some rubble shifted and lifted, and a familiar scarred hand flagged in the air.

"Spirit, hang on!" Tsuzuki stood up and hopped over more unstable pieces of rubble. Soon, he was by Stein's side with a grim, fierce expression.

Stein was covered in dust and sweat, but looked to be in much better shape than Spirit. "My right leg's crushed." With an insane grin on his face, he pulled himself up onto a rock, patting down the front of his clothes and his jacket.

"Damnit Stein! Don't stand with your leg like that!" Frustration gushed from him and he panted. "God, Spirit's hurt real bad over there and he needs help now!"

"Backup'll be here when they get here," Stein stated as if he hadn't heard Tsuzuki, leaning down to pick up his medical bag. Before Tsuzuki could move away, that same hand that had gotten his attention snagged itself in the front of his borrowed long-sleeve shirt and locked on. "Weapons are made of sturdier stuff, which is good, since Meisters are fragile. You cut them up too much and they stop breathing. Catch my drift?"

Jarred, Tsuzuki stared at him as his thoughts finally pulled back into some coherency from the panic threatening to suck them back into chaos. "Yes...?" Thinking that Stein was talking about another Weapon, he glanced towards Spirit, but the hand choked up grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"The Warlock has that interesting Meister. You know, the one who survived his death-curse?"

"Do you know where he is?" The hoarse whisper slithered past the choke-hold as a red-hot anger and furious protectiveness flared up. He hadn't known that the Warlock they were after was responsible for Secret's death-curse.

"Finally paying attention, hm?" Stein smiled unpleasantly, revealing the vengeance he wanted on the man who had beaten him. "Well, as to that..."

* * *

Feeling a thick substance dribbling down his forehead and then down the tip of his nose, Secret closed his eyes trying to bite back the nausea. He couldn't do anything about it, since he was helplessly tied up in the darkness. He stood in place on a perch of some sort, deceptively sharp strands enshrining him like some bug going through chrysalis. Attempting to free himself had caused the bonds to tighten and cut into his skin like finely serrated wire. He had no choice but to stand still and relax.

He had woken to this nightmare, wrapped up with his arms high above him. Having lost feeling some time ago in his hands and feet, he felt like some damn doll—he shivered and immediately thought up another word—mannequin on a pedestal forced into a frozen, defenseless position. The only saving grace was that most of his weight was held in the thickened bonds around his legs, and not in his shoulders and right side, which were hot from the stitches that had torn.

This was exactly that sicko's handiwork. He was alone for now, which was good, but he knew that wouldn't last.

He squinted his already-closed eyes and tried to think of something else; what had happened before he had woken up in this miserable place after Tsuzuki had left came to mind. He wondered if things would have ended differently had he insisted on going with Tsuzuki, instead of staying mum.

_The flat voice of the normally cheerful Spirit cut through his silence, when the door had closed. "Hey, Rhett-dear."_

_"That's not any better!"_

_Nodding to himself, Spirit sat down crossing his arms and legs. "That's no way to treat your Weapon. Especially one as experienced as him."_

_Glaring over at him, Secret wasn't too happy that some barely-adult Weapon was trying to boss him around._

_"Count me surprised that you paired up with him, what with his reputation shot to hell and how he's called the 'Dark Sword of the Grim Re—" Spirit stopped talking when the lights cut out without even a flicker. _'Aw, what now?'

_Hunched from the sudden darkness, Secret stood with a wince when his stitches pulled. "Spirit?"_

_The sound of flesh turning to metal pierced the darkness, and Secret held his breath in the stillness that settled._

_The building shook once, twice, and the wall, where the window had been, crumbled with the sound of cracking and tinkling glass dropping away. As chunks of brick and plaster broke away, Secret had a grand view of the Bloody Moon. Normally so yellow, tonight it was shot through with red, its mouth overflowing with blood._

He's found me._ Something was lodged painfully in his chest blocking his windpipe as Secret's thoughts became increasingly panicked. _What do I do?

_Metal plating at the Warlock's shoulders glinted and the chest plate gleamed like a regular knight-in-shining-armor. Underneath the ornamental armor, he wore a thick coat of white, trimmed with thread of silver. The pale red light washed the man in crimson, riding atop one of the three heads of a ferocious-looking white dragon with blue eyes that peered intensely into the hole in the side of the hotel. Secret saw that the one who was tearing the hotel apart was the zombie Kishin he and Tsuzuki and met in the alleyway... She had new rotting arms to complete her single-minded task._

_A lanky shadow with a bulky screw-head jutting from its cranium stepped in front of Secret spinning the Scythe Weapon effortlessly around his frame before holding it forward. Secret felt the energy of Soul Resonance humming in the air around them. "What a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Dr. Franken Stein and this is my assistant, Spirit."_

_Bone-chilling laughter invaded Secret's ears and reverberated into his shaking hands; his knees could hold him no longer as he slid to the floor in a heap._ I should have known I couldn't escape.

_"My name is Dr. Muraki Kazutaka. What a pleasure meeting a fellow doctor." Secret knew without having to look again that the pale Warlock was smiling with his straight, pearly white teeth, like some spectre glossed over with the color of a bloody corpse. "I see you have what is mine, gentlemen. I don't suppose you'll be handing the boy over nice and easy for me?"_

_So filled with terror, he couldn't even look up again after that first glance at the beautiful silver-haired man, the deceitful devil within an angelic form. Suddenly, he was breathing harder as the lump in his throat distended._ They can't win. Not against him.

_'Rhett-chan! We'll protect you!'_  
_"If anyone is to dissect him, it's going to be me!" Mad laughter sounded as Stein rushed forward with Spirit in hand._

_Spell-energy flared up and—_ Searing pain over his skin where the curse laid interrupted his retreat into momentary reverie.

Eyes opening wide, he gasped, jerking away from the touch and stiffening when he could not escape it. The cords around his neck dug in like a cutting noose, forcing him to stillness. His breath came and went in tiny, quick puffs as he tried to keep his teeth from chattering. _Cold._ The Warlock's emotions were always so cold like the touch of death.

"Do you like it? I made this display case specifically for you from the hair of women I've loved in your absence." Twisted sickness and madness cloaked his tormentor's true intentions, who was standing on a floating platform among the parted, knotted hair. It was difficult for Secret not to slip into the vortex of madness as pliable as he'd become under the constant assault of his own fear, knowing what could be in store for him here.

Silver eyes bored into his the longer he remained silent, and Secret shivered violently, not able to flinch away from the brief touch that burned into his bones like hot needles. That damn hair parted for the man like frightened sea anemone, completely mindless.

"I'll assume then that you love my gift to you." The cruel smirk played on the curve of his lips, clearly enjoying his pain. "Are you silent because you expect those two to come to your rescue, boy?"

It wasn't until the hand traced over his scars attentively without hindrance that Secret realized his thin hotel pajamas were gone. His anxiety skyrocketed at being exposed. The touch continued to sear, while his brain kept expecting to smell burning flesh . "Nn-nn." He could barely respond without screaming, but he managed it.

Lifting a bloody finger to his lips, the insane Warlock licked it sensually. Secret breathed in shakily not breaking eye contact trying to anticipate the next fleeting touch. "And that pretty, purple-eyed Weapon who cut off my zombie's arms?"

Secret felt tears on his cheeks before he could stop them for that tortured woman and Tsuzuki. Mostly, the tears fell because the thought of this madman laying hands on anyone else was too much... Secret's breath hitched as he answered "Nn-nno."

The rich chuckle was no balm to his ears as the Warlock's pleasure from the sudden sight of tears rippled into Secret. This time the Warlock leaned forward to lick his cheek; there was no pain just the feel of a warm, slimy tongue followed by equally soft lips chastely kissing the corner of his eye, tasting the sign of his pain.

_Too close, too close, too close._ Secret clenched his jaw, and every muscle in his body followed suit, knowing how the deranged man worked. Secret couldn't stand keeping his eyes open any longer with expectant eyes drawing in every nuance of his every reaction. And as expected, the Warlock traced the scars over his chest softly and induced a pain within his very soul, something that should have been solely his. Secret's hair-raising scream filled the room as a part of his soul was sheared off.

Spasming violently, he could feel the Warlock's satisfaction and power from the nibble he partook. "My dear doll, you suffer so much more after being apart from me. Don't ever leave me again."

Forcing his eyes to open, an exhausted Secret directed his gaze somewhere beyond the Warlock. Despite the pain, if he could see that they were separate entities, he could prevent the ugly emotions from melding with him, but he knew what was coming, could see the hand drifting closer to his face. Inside he quailed, the noise surfacing like a tide slowly coming in. "N-nooO!" _Don't touch me!_ Unvoiced, the terror ate at him, consuming everything in its wake.

Elegant fingers traced his lips and slipped their way down his chest. Lower and lower, past his belly, the merciless digits feathered over the front of Spirit's boxers and then squeezed tightly. His scream was cut off as the bonds clamped down around his neck; his frantic struggles rendered impotent.

"Don't you desire it, my pretty doll?" The hand trailed back up and splayed on his abdomen, lightly brushing as much skin as he could, no longer burning. "This excites you."

Spasming, Secret lost the fight, going lax from an oxygen-deprived brain. Memories of his nightmarish past in the hospital flooded into his mind. All that time, patience, and energy expended taking precautions not to kill him right away because he was oh-so delicate and special. It felt so good, eating up the depths of misery this fragile soul contained. _Give me more. I need more_.

"I'm overjoyed that we've been reunited."

As the warm hand pulled away, Secret's world narrowed as he drew air down his throat. He could still feel the sickness and forced heat pulsing through him, the Warlock's memories sticking to him like overcooked rice. He slumped against the bonds utterly exhausted, but the enchanted hair around his neck forced his head up. He had no choice but to stare dully at the Warlock.

"Since you've been a good boy, we'll share a meal." The Warlock smiled at him pleasantly. "Stay right there. I'll come to you." His cruel, delighted laughter rang off the walls as the platform carried him away.

Nausea made Secret shut his eyes tightly as he gritted his teeth. This was going to keep happening, over and over again. The Warlock was never satisfied, always hungry for more.

With his ability—the so-called 'gift' Secret had been born with—he felt the Warlock put more distance between them. But he found himself utterly lost and alone, trembling as he stood with the constant brushing noise of hair crawling over hair and the deceiving feel of smooth strands as they re-covered bare skin.

He opened his eyes again seeing just a sliver of light before the gap where Muraki had been closed. The maddening whispery-soft noise and touch would be his only companions in the darkness. It was much better than the alternative.

_"Look, we aren't going to survive against a Kishin soul if we don't trust each other..."_

Startled, Secret wondered why he had suddenly thought of Tsuzuki. He didn't stop himself though; the nerve-wracking fear of the dark subsided at just the memory of Tsuzuki's voice.

'Casual. Stay casual.'  
_"Hey, I'm Tsuzuki Asato, a Weapon. Mind pairing up?"_

'Why the hell would anyone drop cold water on someone without just reason...'  
_"Don't have very much stamina, huh?" It was verbal payback for the bucketful of icy water. "What are we going to do if your legs give out?"_

_He's so straightforward and childish. So why..._ He allowed himself to remember more and more, starved for that sincere, frankness.

_"We're partners, you and I. Of course, I care about what happens to you, Secret."_  
_"You okay, Secret?"_  
_"Are you hurt?"_

_Why can't I stop thinking of him? Muraki will be back, and then..._

"Tsuzuki." The single word rolled off his tongue without stutter. His chest felt warmed like he'd been caught in a summer shower, and he found he could breathe a little easier. His heart swelled in memory.

_No. _He rejected his memories forcefully. _Who in their right mind would go up against a powerful magic-user just to retrieve a One-Star Meister? There's no point to save me. I'll die soon._

His dry, gritty eyes were itchy, and he felt the numbness and the cold coming back into his chest and head. He was correct, of course. The death-curse was such that, in time, it allowed a Witch to eat a soul sliver by sliver at great distances, until there was nothing left.

Just as he gave into the numb, Secret heard his name. He chuckled to himself. _Have I gone crazy already?_ His name was called again, and his eyes snapped open and tried to focus in the dark.

He was stunned. He felt the familiar energy and feelings and thoughts of Tsuzuki standing far below him, but that couldn't be... Then his Weapon soared closer latching onto his unusual prison causing it to sway some. "What are..." he croaked out quietly in shock and disbelief, "Why are you here?" With the shot of hope and adrenaline at his Weapon's arrival, he fought against the constrictive bonds, no longer caring about the cuts the saw-like hair had inflicted on him.

_'How best to cut him free?' _"It's obvious why I'm here." Transforming his right arm into a blade, the Weapon's muffled voice was calm as could be, as if the pain caused from grabbing onto the ridiculously long hair was only a minor annoyance. "I would never abandon you." _'Never.'_

The cocoon shook as Tsuzuki began to hack away at it. The passive hair only seemed interested in winding itself tighter around Secret until he could hardly breathe. Light broke into his vision and Secret blinked reflexively at the dark form, who swung lightly on the hair, like rope.

Blood was soaking into the cuff of Tsuzuki's white long-sleeved shirt from where his left hand held onto the razor sharp hair. Numbly, Secret watched Tsuzuki turn his blade-arm into a knife, exposing a Human arm to the wrist. Then bracing a foot on the hardened perch under Secret, Tsuzuki cut away at the bonds tying him in place, even though the cursed bonds seemed to be replicating as fast as Tsuzuki could cut.

Refusing to stay quietly in his eyes, tears poured over the cheeks of an overwhelmed Secret. The saltwater stung the back of his dry throat as the angry, disoriented words came tumbling out, "Y-you idiot!" He sobbed out in a slurred voice, "you'll be _caught_!" _You shouldn't be here!_

Tsuzuki didn't answer, so thoroughly focused on his task. Then, Secret felt him focus his electrical power, and felt the heat of his blade against his wrists. As his arms fell free, the momentum tipped Secret forward into him. The incredibly honest, warm feelings sank into him without trying, and he sagged into the crook of an awaiting arm.

Not a second later, still charged with power, Tsuzuki slipped the knife along Secret's side and then a quick downward slice from near his inner thigh to his knee. Grabbing and pulling his Meister one-handed from the loosened hair tendrils, Tsuzuki jumped. Before they landed on the ground, Tsuzuki's bloody left arm wrapped around Secret. His force field domed around them, not a moment later, which prevented the wave of hair chasing after Secret to make contact. Retracting defensively after slamming into the shield in a flash of light, the smoking claw-like tendrils wound themselves up to snuff out the fire and retreated towards the dimly lit ceiling.

_'Damn, that's a lot of blood...' _The thought came from Tsuzuki as he knelt lying Secret down. Hurriedly, Tsuzuki transformed the tip of his blade into a hand and took off his shirt to wrap it around his Meister. Picking him back up in a protective embrace, Tsuzuki ran. _'Secret won't last much longer if he doesn't get help.' "... since Meisters are fragile..."_ Secret faintly heard Stein's voice from Tsuzuki's memory, overlapping with his thoughts.

The world was too blurry as it rushed by; the tears of relief made Secret lightheaded and his head lolled, fighting the urge to pass out while Tsuzuki carried him towards safety. He fought the blackness encroaching on his vision because he could feel the Warlock coming on a dark cloud of anger. Tsuzuki needed to be warned. "He—He's—" A shiver ran through his body as he felt spell-energy flare to life, cutting off his words. There was a loud incantation and the energy was released like a whip-crack.

_Well, this is it..._ Secret closed his eyes enjoying the last moments he had with Tsuzuki. However, Tsuzuki's arms tightened around him and he felt the Weapon's fierce tenacity and resolve.

His Weapon hadn't, no, wouldn't give up.

Magical power crashed into the force field dissipating with a thunderous boom. What could Secret do, but try to remain conscious to support him?

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Secret wakes up in a hospital with Tsuzuki in attendance. What secrets will be revealed?


	6. Blind in a Hospital Room

_**Author's notes**:__ Two-in-a-day updates are not going to happen often, folks. I expect that I'll be very busy soon and won't have as much time to write... This is a pre-emptive strike! Thank you **darkqryslynn **__and **EggDropSoup**_ for looking this over! **EggDropSoup**_, _I'm sorry I troubled you with my pesky medical questions. Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I love feedback. :)  


**Warning:** Blood, OCs, needles. Minor angst?

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

**Nygus**: Makes her cameo appearance. In canon, she makes an excellent nurse. She's still a nurse-in-training in this fic, not that Secret's aware of this.

* * *

_Secret was face down on the ground clutching onto Tsuzuki's hilt.__ The Warlock was mocking him. _

This is all I can do...

_And then Tsuzuki..._

_ "Flame... of the... Phoenix!"_

Secret woke up in a panic, bolting out of the bed he was in. Tearing out the itchy IV in his arm and ripping off the sticky circles on his arms and chest, he tripped on the covers that had wrapped around his legs so similar to the cursed hair from before, while some machine shrieked in the background. He knew he had little time to escape

On his knees and hands, his back and right side felt like they were on fire, and the room was a fuzzy blur of white. As the Earth tilted under him, his arm bumped against the frame of another bed and he flailed trying to rip off the bandages wrapped around his head. His chest constricted and his breathing shortened.

He was in that hospital. The smell of antiseptics and clean linen and lingering hurts were attached to the room like lint to tape. He thought he had left it, but here he was. His fingers were too numb and, as he tore at them, the bandages stubbornly remained over his eyes.

A door slammed shut and Secret jerked like he'd been hit. Someone, someone that cared about him, dropped to the floor next to him. Large hands gently enveloped and pried Secret's hands away from the bandages. "Secret, it's okay. No one will hurt you here. It's okay." The insistent voice broke the precarious balance he had on his knees. Relaxing, he sighed out.

Familiar arms stopped his descent and picked him up roughly, though the intent was gentle. Secret was set back onto the uncomfortable bed, and hands unwrapped the blankets remaining tangled around his shins. Secret felt woozy from the rush of unpleasant feelings of worry, anxiety, and concern.

He must have blacked out because when he blinked his eyes open next there were more voices—a Normal and a Weapon—in the room with him. The Normal was putting the sticky circles back on him while the Weapon nurse applied pressure on his wrist.

Once the circles were on, that same person was rearranging the bandages over his body. Panicked from the strangers' medical detachment, he thrashed. He was going to start hurting soon. It always worked like this, patching him up so the doctor could tear into him again and again and_—_

"Secret, you've got to calm down or they're going to sedate you." A hand slipped over Secret's left and squeezed reassuringly, and the fight suddenly left him. The warm, anxious feelings from his Weapon raised the blanket of bad memory, and the strangers' hands continued their work... _Tsuzuki?_ He only meant to turn his head slightly to the left but it rolled completely to the left side. Secret saw only the dark outline of the person whose attention was fully focused on him.

"Nygus, get his arm wrapped up. It should be fine now." The baritone voice of the Normal who had fixed his bandages asked over Secret to the nurse on his right side.

The female Weapon, who was holding his right arm, gave a slightly affirmative response, at least what he read mentally; she had probably nodded since he didn't hear anything. He felt extra padding pressed onto his right forearm and gauze wrapped around it. The nurses passed more information efficiently between themselves but it was medical gibberish to him. Since Tsuzuki was so concerned and anxious about him still, Secret compulsively squeezed back, shocked that his fingers barely flexed.

"That's right. I'm here." Tsuzuki honestly was relieved to have some form of reaction from him other than the constant thrashing and nightmares.

_What happened? How did I—we get away? _Secret tried to say, but all that came out was a low groan. He heard something get rolled over by his side, and Tsuzuki's grip tightened just a bit. "What a time to wake up..." Tsuzuki leaned forward. "They're going to stick you with a new IV in your left arm. I won't go anywhere, okay?"

There was the sound of metal things being set down on a metal tray. Secret was suddenly aware of his heartbeat beeping merrily, faster and faster, as his breath grew shallow and short. _This can't be happening. This dream is going to turn bad. If I wake up... But I don't want to wake up. _He whimpered._  
_

A warm hand settled itself on his cheek, and Secret held his breath and let it out slowly, pressing the uncovered part of his face into the palm; there was just a world of calm right there in that cupped hand. But when Tsuzuki's emotions gurgled like a toddler at his reaction, he forced his head to turn back into his pillow.

Something slipped under his left arm, which was still attached to Tsuzuki, and with a snap it was wrapped tightly around his bicep. A finger was prodding the top part of his forearm. It settled on a spot and something wet and cool was swabbed over it. He hated that the beeping was constantly updating everyone about how anxious he was feeling.

"Did you have any dreams, Secret?"

Deciding it was better not to try talking, he shook his head ever so slightly. Even with that barest of movement, the world seemed to roll with his head.

"Anything hurt really bad?"

"Nn." Damn words wouldn't form.

Then, he felt something sting in his arm. Tape was applied and the thing wrapped around his upper arm was pulled off.

"Tsuzuki, keep a better eye on him this time, and make sure you don't rile him up or Dr. Reeve will have your hide."

"Yes, sir. Tell Nygus 'thank you'?"

"Of course."

When the door swung shut and the last nurse had left, there was a moment of silence.

Then, Tsuzuki started talking again, and he set his other hand on top of Secret's, holding his hand between the both of his. "Well, Spirit's expected to have a full recovery. He was in a bad way, but he should be good in a couple of weeks. Stein's leg is in a cast though, so he won't be able to do any missions for six months or so. They're talking about temporarily placing Spirit with another Meister until Stein's recovered."

Licking his cracked lips, Secret realized the reason he couldn't talk was because he had no spit in his mouth, and his dry tongue felt glued to the top of his mouth. He tried swallowing, but ended up coughing shallowly when his throat opened up reluctantly.

The hand lifted off of his knuckles and picked something off a surface nearby. "It's water."

Secret hungrily drank from the spouted-cup, but Tsuzuki took it away before he was finished. "Easy." _  
_

"What happened with...?" Secret almost didn't recognize his own gravelly, hoarse voice.

"We won." _'You should've seen the look on his face. He was pissed that he had to turn tail and run.'_

The monitor's beeping rhythm escalated. "But how? He's—"

"Secret." A finger lightly touched his lips briefly, and the calm simply soaked into him again. "You resonated with me, and we kicked his ass together. I'll tell you all the details later when you feel better." _'I didn't think it was possible with how far gone you were. Afterward, you looked dead... I thought I might've...'_

Tsuzuki got self-conscious when he became aware of the dark turn his thoughts had taken and moved to pull his hand away. Secret latched onto it though, holding it like some lifeline to reality, and Tsuzuki didn't have the heart to take his own hand away when Secret seemed determined to hold onto it how ever weakly. "What about our assignment?"

Inwardly, Tsuzuki chortled at what Secret considered important, while outwardly he remained very objective. "You were right. Without the Warlock around, the Kishin soul turned hysterical. She..."_ "Please kill me! I don't want to live like this, eating others just to survive! I'm so scared and hungry all the time... So, please."_ The remembered words pierced suddenly through Tsuzuki's thoughts, saddening him. "Well, let's just say that the assignment was completed." He sighed. "I actually wanted to talk to you about that and something weird that happened in the fight with Warlock Muraki."

Secret waited.

"How did you know about her?" Tsuzuki hesitated. "If it's part of your ability to sense Kishin, you should have said something sooner."

Not answering, Secret only jerked his hand away from Tsuzuki's like it was hot.

Tsuzuki continued despite the snub. "Then during the fight with the Warlock, when our soul wavelengths synch-ed up, I could feel that Warlock's perverted mind like—I don't know. Like I was linked up with him. Then with you here, I've had a lot of time to think, and I remembered a woman screaming in the fight with the Kishin soul. I thought that maybe the two are related..."

The beeping was steadily speeding up, until he could feel his face heat and his ears pound.

"Still not going to trust me? That's harsh," Tsuzuki slightly exasperated at his continued silence.

Digging his weak fingers into the covers, Secret decided he ought to tell him the truth no matter how he reacted. After all, Tsuzuki would figure it out sooner or later. "I can tell what a soul is just by being near them."

Tsuzuki's curiosity won out. "How does that tie in with what I felt?"

"I sense others' emotions and thoughts."

An uneasy Tsuzuki scratched his head. "So you can tell what I'm thinking about right now?"

"It doesn't work that way." Secret fidgeted with the covers on top of his legs. He froze when he felt something in his... He shoved a hand under the covers and found a tubing connecting from the tip all the way to a warm bag of... "How long have I been out?" He blurted out, blushing with embarrassment from the catheter.

"Three days." Tsuzuki frowned at the sudden change in conversation, but let it be. _'I'll ask him about details later_.' He offered more water which Secret drank thirstily

Plainly feeling that Tsuzuki wanted to say something else, Secret pushed aside his discomfort with the thing-connected-down-there, assuming that Tsuzuki wanted to continue the conversation. "What?"

"... Your parents left you at the hospital, didn't they?" _'Your expression when I came to save you said it all.'_

That was a can of worms he preferred to leave unopened. "Can we not—"

"You were in that hospital for three years under that creep's care. Any self-respecting parent would have noticed something was wrong, and barring that they didn't care when they heard your diagnosis. What parent wouldn't cry?" Tsuzuki's hard, anger-tinted voice softened. "Am I wrong?"

His Weapon was smarter than he looked. _Just with those scraps, he connected the dots._ "No..." Secret turned his head in Tsuzuki's general direction, and then up towards the ceiling, taking a deep breath. His voice never grew larger than a rough whisper. "My mother went crazy seven years ago—" Secret faltered, when he remembered her yelling at him. _"You see inside my head, you monster! Stay away from me! You aren't my child!"_

_"Rui! Stop it!"_ "My father may have been a three-star Meister when he was younger, but that was before a fight crippled him... He could only pass the information on when he found out that our new family doctor was actually a Witch." For a moment, the blurred form of his Weapon was his father gazing silently down at him, but the mental voice he heard was all memory,_ 'Be strong, my son.'_ His hands clenched into the blanket. "I can't blame them." Just thinking of how helpless he'd been, so reliant on others, it made him so angry at himself. He was always so weak! _As I am, I would only tarnish the Kurosaki reputation of breeding the best Meisters_.

Curiosity satisfied but with a heavier heart, Tsuzuki better understood Secret's hesitation to talk about his family. The bright light coming presumably from a window dimmed as Secret heard Tsuzuki step away. "The weather's supposed to be really nice all week."

Laying there in bed, Secret took a shaky breath of relief, glad Tsuzuki wasn't going to grill him. The Weapon had accepted him so readily. This kindness was just how he was, which seemed contradictory to what Secret had learned about Dark Weapons. He'd met puppies meaner than Tsuzuki.

The light shifted. "I brought a wheelchair in case you wanted to get out there."

Secret grimaced, raising a trembling hand to the bandages blocking his sight. "Like I can go anywhere like this."

"Well if you wanted, I can take you outside. It would do you some good to get some sun."

Frowning, Secret turned his head away. "I'll stay here."

Tsuzuki cheerfully replied, "Then I'll open a window!"

Faster than he could tell Tsuzuki 'no', Secret heard the latches come undone from the window and stilled at the fresh breeze stirring against his cheek. The smell of dirt and grass wafted in from the small garden right outside.

"It's a beautiful day." Secret imagined Tsuzuki was smiling; his emotions all but bled his happiness. "Ah! Looks like there's some kids out on the court today."

Secret could hear the loud voices and shouts and felt the excitement from the mix of Meisters and Weapons—heard the stomping and gritting of their feet—as they grabbed for the basketball when it slapped against the ground. "Shut the window."

The man pouted; Secret didn't have to see to know. "Nah, I wanna watch."

Sensing that his mood had changed and not knowing why, Secret froze only a heartbeat before he retorted, "It's noisy."

"I got it, I got it." The window was shut. Tsuzuki's mood became more pronounced, dipping into that darkness Secret had seen before when his Weapon was recollecting about a young teenager with bright blue eyes. Tsuzuki was holding onto a lot of pain and sadness. He didn't seem to know what else to do with himself after he—Tsuzuki turned to look at him; his scrutiny burned along Secret's senses. "What're you doing?"

Blushing, Secret held the rest of himself still, turning his head away from the light. "Nothing."

"You sound defensive for not having done anything." Tsuzuki's heavy mood again lightened to curiosity.

"I didn't mean to..." On edge, Secret's breathing hitched, swallowing.

That smug '_gotcha_' feeling immediately dispersed changing into guilt as Tsuzuki stood closer. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease."

Secret's own feelings went from timid to annoyed. "Don't." His voice acidic, Secret noted, "This will happen more, the longer we're paired up. You won't be able to hide anything from me."

"Are you trying to warn me off from staying as your Weapon?" The incredulity and amusement expressed from Tsuzuki's voice gave Secret pause.

"You need to pair up with a Meister who isn't a hindrance." His tone was cool. "Besides, my body isn't up to to wielding you, if you haven't noticed."

_'Ouch. Sudden rejection slammed out of left field.'_ Tsuzuki's mood plummeted suddenly. "Then, why did you partner up with me?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then tell me what you meant."

"I'm weak, Tsuzuki." Bitterness leaked into his voice.

"You aren't weak. I don't know anyone who could survive a death-curse. Just give yourself time to heal." Tsuzuki sat back down next to him and brought the cup to his lips.

Silently, Secret drank, the dryness in his mouth not washing away. He leaned forward, his muscles screaming in acute pain as it stressed all the stitches in his back. Shifting to his left side all by himself as a hesitant Tsuzuki kept himself from helping, Secret faced him. "I'm weak. Because of what happened, because of my ability, I was dangerous to be around. My father sent me here for protection, but I had to enroll as a student. Your name came up because you were a powerful, un-paired Weapon. But it isn't worth it. I know how..." His hands balled into fists. "The Warlock works. He likes toying with others. And now that he's found me, you aren't safe either..."

The neutral, attentive mood colorfully slipped into dizzying confusion as Tsuzuki's mind processed what Secret had said. Tsuzuki didn't understand. "So what? We'll kick his ass again. Besides, who else can you rely on?"

Shrugging slightly and then immediately regretting it because of the pain, Secret shut down, weary of the direction of the conversation. The more he said, it seemed, the more persistent Tsuzuki became. His head ached, until Tsuzuki turned his attention away from him.

The confusion lifted into resolution. "Well, I guess you are really immature—rushing into fights headfirst—and you don't seem to have a clue what 'teamwork' is." Secret might have gotten angry if he couldn't feel that Tsuzuki's emotions had gotten playful even with the stinging honesty in his words. "But you know... I don't mind, either your stubbornness and inexperience." Tsuzuki breathed in, gathering the nerve to offer to sever their partnership. "Anyway, if you insist I won't force you to remain paired with me." Tsuzuki sighed. "If you want to go find another Weapon, I'll be fine."

"That's a lie."

Tsuzuki's full attention was back on him. "I wouldn't—"

"That's not it." Secret frowned. "You won't be fine. There's no one else who would be stupid enough to pair up with a Dark Weapon."

Disbelief flooded Tsuzuki's mind. "So you knew... this whole time?"

There wasn't a trace of remorse on Secret's face at his affirmative grunt of admission. "It's kind of hard not to. I can pick up on that, remember? Even if I didn't, the rumors are bad enough."

Much to his surprise, Tsuzuki chuckled. "And you still paired up with me? You're a brave one taking that risk." The barren area in Tsuzuki's heart where hope had long been buried finally allowed his curious attachment to this taciturn Meister grow wildly. He could see why Stein found him fascinating. Secret's perspective was unlike anyone else's Tsuzuki had met before.

Associating a memory of their classmates' reaction to their compatibility test in class brought a sudden thought to Secret. "Have you been going to class?" When he felt the small amount of guilt, he spoke up before Tsuzuki started in on his half-formed excuses. Thready, Secret's voice cracked on the end. "How are we _both_ supposed to pass if you stick around here moping?"

The machine in front of him let out such a loud racket of obnoxious beeping that Secret and Tsuzuki both froze._ 'Uh-Oh.'_

Secret flinched his face sideways alert for danger, when he felt yet another stranger, a Meister, open the door.

"Tsuzuki, _out_." It was an older woman by the sound of her voice.

Before he thought twice about the order, an admonished Tsuzuki was on his feet and halfway to the door. He stopped, his attention focused on Secret. _'Will you be okay?'_

Feeling the Meister's impatience growing, Secret made a shooing motion behind him with a shaky left hand, hovering over his right side. Finally, Tsuzuki with some reluctance followed her directive.

"Hello. My name is Dr. Eleanor Reeve. May I sit?" The woman shuffled over by his bed. Secret was only more uncomfortable the nearer she came.

"Sure."

She took over the seat as poor replacement for Tsuzuki. "I know how disorienting it is to wake up in a strange place... So if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them." When Secret didn't respond, she carried on. "Would you like to hear what all we had to patch up or your prognosis?"

Relaxing somewhat when her genuine kindness had a chance to filter to him, Secret felt more oriented. "Both."

He could sense the smile in her soft, clinical tone. "You sustained severe blood loss and had to undergo multiple blood transfusions two days ago. As a universal recipient, finding the blood you needed was no trouble. You'll have new scarring, though we've tried to minimize it. All your stitches had to be redone, and we also had to shave your head to get to the lacerations on your scalp."

"'We'?"

"Why, Dr. Franken Stein collaborated with me. He's my junior associate, you know." '_He wouldn't take no for an answer when you needed emergency care in Naasak.'_ "He's quite able with his hands." _'Despite his insanity,'_ she mentally added.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Secret waited for her to continue. The man while similar to the Warlock hadn't completely lost his fight with his inner madness yet, and Secret hoped Dr. Stein never did.

Her attitude was very positive as she cheerfully meted out restrictions. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay here for the rest of the day until the more recent blood test results are in, just in case. Before you're discharged, the bandages will be removed and self-adhesive ones will be applied to cover the stitches. You'll need to keep them clean and dry or your healing may get delayed."

"Will I need the... uh..." He bobbed his head down and then up and anxiously fidgeted with the covers near his groin.

"The catheter? No, since you've finally woken up. I can take it out for you right now, if you want, but you'll have to have an attendant every time you go to the bathroom."

Secret's went dry, embarrassed by the thought. He swallowed convulsively, "I'll keep it for now."

The doctor regarded him carefully. "As I was saying... Before you're discharged, we'll remove the catheter. The IV will be taken out as well, though we'll have you on a fortified diet since you came in a little under-nourished and your bone density is low. It's a wonder you haven't broken a bone yet. And then after that, you'll be on light duty. No heavy lifting of any kind or any sort of walking until your stitches are out."

When he groaned at the thought of Tsuzuki dutifully pushing him around in a wheelchair, she tutted. "And, certainly no missions for at least a month. Your teacher is aware of your situation and has waived that requirement in the meantime. Mr. Tatsumi has also reminded me to tell you that a folder with the classwork you've missed so far will be provided once you've been discharged. He also has mentioned that you need to stay home until you are better, a remark I strongly support." _'You don't need prejudiced students around you while you recover.'_ She clicked her pen and he heard scribbling. "Have any questions yet?"

Her mind was so stubbornly focused on his well-being that he decided he ought to listen to her. "How long do you think I have?"

The scribbling didn't stop. He felt sympathy, but pity was interestingly absent from her. "Who can really say? That Warlock is probably milking your soul for all it's worth. I assume that other, more esteemed, doctors have told you the average life expectancy already, correct?"

"Yes. Five years at most."

Her emotions were stern. "You aren't a typical case. There is no precedent for them to make a sound decision. Do I make myself clear?"

"I... Yes." Secret gulped, somewhat puzzled at the anger he felt simmering under her gentle demeanor. _Then, how long do I have?_

"Anything else?"

"No, doctor."

"Good. The gruffness of your voice will fade in time as long as you keep yourself hydrated. Try to talk more with your diaphragm in the meantime." She didn't miss a beat, but Secret could feel herself brace for the reaction of a disgruntled patient. "And one last thing, you've been assigned a counselor. You have an appointment in a week."

The damned machine beeped erratically as if his heart couldn't decide to beat fast or slow. He could barely face the nightmare in his mind. How would he be able to talk about it? "Thanks." His hollow tone clearly wished she'd rather hadn't.

"I can only heal the damage to your body, Mr. Blackriver. Please keep that in mind." Her footsteps receded and the door knob turned as she shut the door behind her. Her voice was distant and hard to understand, but he could hear her thoughts as well as he had when she had been right next to him. _'Stop pacing like a lost puppy, Tsuzuki, and get your butt back in there to reassure your partner!'_

Tsuzuki re-entered the room and walked over to the bedridden Secret. "So?"

"Get me a drink of water," bossed Secret as he tilted his head up blindly. "Then roll that damn chair over here and take me outside."

Grinning, Tsuzuki did just that.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** A moody Secret must rely on Tsuzuki! Who're you calling Cephy?


	7. The Meister With Soul Perception

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you **darkqryslynn **__and **EggDropSoup**_ for looking this over! **EggDropSoup**_, as usual sorry for my constant medical questions_. Thank you for all the lovely reviews!  


**Warning:** Somewhat long flashback. Some angst?

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

_**Soul Perception**: This unique soul ability allows a person to "perceive" the souls of living people. It used to help humans rout out Witches, but that was before the magic spell "Soul Protect" was developed. By focusing on an individual soul, a skilled Soul Perception practitioner can actually "read" a soul and make accurate judgments about the person's characteristics, personality, and wavelength. Knowing the wavelength of a soul can allow a skilled Meister to match or disrupt the opponent's wavelength in or outside of combat. In the case of, Secret... well, you'll just have to read and see._

* * *

"Tsuzuki, he's ready for you."

Hanging out in the corridor near Secret's room, Tsuzuki tiredly looked up at the bald, muscular nurse and smiled in relief. "Thanks, Hernando."

The nurse moved the rolling stand filled with unused rolls of gauze and an IV and urine bag aside to give him room to stand and rubbed his head, answering quietly. "Give him a moment. Taking out that catheter gave him a mild panic attack. You'll have to change his bandages tonight."

"I'll do that." Tsuzuki took a deep breath. The memory of a pale and shivering form curled in on itself in a nameless ditch washed over him at the phrase 'panic attack', and then Tsuzuki exhaled, gripping the wheelchair handles. "Did he tell you anything?"

"I spent 95 percent of the time talking. Most of his responses were non-verbal, and he's probably the most compliant patient I've got, which just feels whacked." The nurse sighed. "I'm no psychologist, but even I can tell that he's taken his own feelings and shoved them away."

"Yeah." Glancing at the metal tray, Tsuzuki grinned. "You've got other patients to check on, right? Thanks for your help, sir."

"Sure, sure. Just take care of him out there." Hernando pushed the stand in front of him and hooked around a corner.

Taking another breath, Tsuzuki remembered his conversation with Secret the day before. Secret didn't deliberately pick up emotions or thoughts, but he warned that eventually he would know anything Tsuzuki meant to keep private.

So Tsuzuki had been practicing since last night to redirect his thoughts whenever something negative came into mind. It had been startling to know how many times he had to divert his tide of thought. He hadn't viewed himself as a very negative person.

Then again, he hadn't counted put-downs about himself before. The question about self-preservation, after Tsuzuki had pushed Secret out of the way of the truck, didn't seem so out of place now that he understood Secret's soul ability.

His Meister might have caught a glimpse of his self-hatred when they touched.

Clearing his mind and focusing on the present and how thankful he was that Secret was okay, Tsuzuki pushed the wheelchair into the room.

The room stank like fear to his heightened senses, but he quickly looked out the window at the greenery outside, fidgeting. He intensely liked plants. "Hernando said he was done. Ready to go?"

"Yes." Secret closed his eyes, and the tension left him. His face was damp and pale.

Tsuzuki wheeled the chair over to him quietly and waited.

Sitting up slowly, his Meister opened his eyes and looked at him, a sharpness returning to his eyes. "I can't stand up on my own."

"True. Dr. Reeve would be mad at me if I let you do that." Tsuzuki took his Meister's words as permission and then put his arms underneath his back and legs, lifting him up. The skin was sticky to the touch with drying sweat. "Hernando said your bandages would have to be changed tonight."

Very carefully Tsuzuki set him delicately onto the blanket-covered seat, then adjusted the footpads so Secret's feet rested on them, and tucked another blanket over his lap to try to keep the inevitable chill away.

They traveled out of the room and down the quiet corridor. After hearing about his ability, Tsuzuki had immediately spilled the beans to Dr. Reeve, and the sedated Secret had been moved here away from the bustle of the main hospital wing.

Tsuzuki turned a corner and paused. A familiar laugh echoed down the hall along with shushing noises from the scolding staff.

"Dr. Stein, you need to stay in bed while your leg is healing."

Seated backwards on a wheeled office chair, the annoyed young man leaned over the chair's back, his gray-haired head on top of loosely crossed arms. "Hmm. You hand over my cane, and I'll consider your advice."

Tense, Tsuzuki pushed past the group of nurses surrounding Dr. Stein, whose thigh-to-heel cast was slung in a wheeled contraption made of everyday hospital supplies.

Stopping near the check-out counter—some distance from the group—and putting down the brakes, the Weapon crouched next to Secret. "There's some paperwork to fill out before we leave. I'll be right back, okay?"

Nodding blankly, Secret squirmed wanting out now, while he did his best to ignore the numerous buzzing thoughts about doctors being the worst sort of patient as the medical personnel walked past the scene. Trying without any luck to disregard the nearly overwhelming mental and real clamor, Secret watched Tsuzuki head over to the nurse's desk and accept a clipboard with a jerky nod of his head. The sable-colored hair fell over Tsuzuki's eyes as he filled out the form.

"Dr. Stein!"

Tsuzuki's head tilted up, his eyes traveling fast, and alarm shot through him as he dropped the clipboard onto the counter.

Blinking slowly from the wave of emotion flooding towards him, a distracted Secret looked up in time to see Stein crash into the wall and bounce out of the tipping chair. Waving a loose hand, the doctor lopsidedly smiled up at him, limbs entangled in the chair and the contraption that hugged onto his leg. "Cephy, being discharged already?"

Secret stared at him. The doctor was too eager to talk to him, and that made Secret wary._ What was up with that nickname? _"Cephy?" Secret parroted.

Then the commotion and emotions from the converging crowd slammed into him, and he sucked down air as if there weren't any.

A cool hand touched his, and power zapped into him like a shock of static. The world was quiet, muffled. Distant.

Bewildered Secret stared into emotionless olive green eyes, created from an existence that didn't understand a world without ulterior motive. Secret could read him no deeper, and that scared him.

"Your soul reminds me of a cephalopod. You do know what those are?" The voice was clearly amused but Secret didn't feel the attached emotions. Not answering, he stared at the hand glowing faintly with yellow energy. _How...?_

Tsuzuki's meatier hand grabbed Stein's wrist and yanked up. "He doesn't like to be touched, Stein!"

The world was filled with such cacophony Secret cried out before clamping down on his mouth with both hands. There was so much pain, but also a lot of hope and... A lot of everything else. His head swam in a swirl of colors from a mix of personalities and memories.

He forced himself to re-identify himself amongst the voices. _I am Secret Blackriver, a one-star Meister. I came to Death City for protection and growth. I like to read. I like the color blue. I_—

"Secret?" There was fear, anger, worry, hope, happiness, self-hatred, and adoration.

The young Meister opened his eyes. Everything was so bright. Tsuzuki was there with purple eyes that radiated concern for him. _Tsuzuki likes me?_ Faint and confused, Secret frowned.

A voice, connected to the only stain of madness in the room, spoke, "As I stated, Cephy is just fine. Isn't that right, Cephy?"

The calculating eyes were back, staring over Tsuzuki's shoulder. The dark, mad feelings to observe and test the curious specimen surged inside of the man.

_'Your soul, Cephy, has a most unusual shape that allows it to touch other souls.'_

Flinching, Secret hunched his shoulders as his breathing shortened again.

Only his mother and Tsuzuki had ever deliberately thrown thoughts at him before and only because he had told them about his ability. No one had told Secret that the doctor could see souls.

_When he touched me, I couldn't sense anything. What did he...?_ The shivering began again in his gut as he tried to force his panic down, and new sweat broke out over his skin.

Anger burned hotter in Tsuzuki out of concern for him. His Weapon physically blocked Secret from sight as he stood up. "Back. Off. Stein." Power crackled along his form.

"Gentlemen, this is a hospital. Keep your fights outside and away from here. Tsuzuki, regrettably I have to ask you to leave with your Meister." The white-haired nurse was terse as she flourished a hand towards the exit. Then she turned sharply and met the doctor head-on. "Dr. Stein, these Weapons will assist me if you do not return to your bed. You are in no shape to duel."

"A broken leg wouldn't prevent me from winning, but today I will concede if I am allowed to make an unassisted trip to my room." Dr. Stein adjusted his glasses and smiled congenially at Tsuzuki, who glared right back. "As I said before, you've found something very special, Tsuzuki. Be sure you don't lose it again or I may end up stealing it away."

"That won't happen again, and I'll kill you before you get the chance." Tsuzuki leaned over and disengaged the brakes. "Let's get out of here," he spoke quietly to Secret.

Secret didn't like being referred to as an object, too reminded of the... He closed his eyes and swallowed the bile down. _Not good. I can't think well at all._ Even though they were leaving now, and the mad doctor was behind them, Secret felt Stein's unwavering gaze on them.

_'When you've healed, come visit. There are techniques that would take advantage of your ability... Techniques that would greatly improve your chances of survival should your Weapon fall short in his duties.'_

Shivering, Secret crossed his arms under the blanket and curled his fingers around his elbows. He didn't doubt that Stein knew something that would benefit him, but after his torture Stein's ambition was too similar to the Warlock's, despite the great differences that spanned between the two men. Secret was honestly curious, but as he was now...

Tsuzuki didn't relax until they were past the hospital's sliding doors and into the morning sun.

"Damn, creep." He shook himself, like he'd been hit with slime. "Without Spirit around..." Tsuzuki's train of thought changed tracks. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

In the sunlight, Secret was finally warming up. "No."

"Did he say anything weird to you?"

"He told me my soul has tentacles like an octopus or cuttlefish... I think. He used the word 'cephalopod'."

"Ah. He likes to compare people's soul-shape to familiar things. He has Soul Perception."

Before Secret could ask him what that was or what Stein had compared his soul to, the wheelchair turned in a direction away from their communal apartment. All idle curiosity was swept out, when Secret's heart shuddered in his chest with each bump-bump of the large wheels on the brick road. He trusted Tsuzuki, but he hadn't been told that they had been moved.

"Where are we going?" And obviously they had been moved because it was just ridiculous to think that they'd be going anywhere else in his condition. _Calm down. _He commanded his body.

"Our apartment isn't wheelchair accessible, so Dr. Reeve had us move into housing near the hospital. I already stocked the place. Not everything from our apartment, but what we need." Tsuzuki felt a small pride at that. "I thought when you were better you'd want to be more independent."

Feeling even his ears flush in shame at that, Secret wanted to sink down in the chair and hide under the lap-blanket. Words like 'us', 'we' and 'our' illuminated his lack of independence like nothing else. It was code for 'I'll do this for you because you're weak'. Suddenly leaving the hospital with its impersonal staff didn't seem so smart. He had just wanted to get out of that place; he hadn't thought that he was going to have to let Tsuzuki help him with _everything_.

_What if he leaves me alone, and I get hungry or have to go to the bathroom, and a long time passes and my stitches fester and rot and_— He cut the frantic thoughts off. _Stop it! Dr. Reeve wouldn't have allowed me out of the hospital if Tsuzuki couldn't do it. He said he'd change the bandages tonight._

_And you believe him? _The tiny voice was meek and scared. He didn't know how to respond. He was ashamed of himself, ashamed that his body wouldn't calm down. He squished the uncertainty down, until he felt the heat recede and the heartbeat slow. _I have to rely on him. He's different from the others. No one else tried to save me from..._ He was overcome with suffocating sorrow and he found he couldn't complete the thought.

He blinked furiously trying to clear his vision by willpower alone. He was not going to pass out or cry or anything else so stupid. Tsuzuki hadn't noticed his irrational panic yet, so if he could just hold it in...

As if plugging the emotions forced them out, water pricked the corners of his eyes until he couldn't stand not to rub them. _What the hell is wrong with me? __Stop it._ He wiped his eyes, pretending that he was rubbing grit from them, but the next deep breath he took shuddered conspicuously. Then, the tears came streaming out. _Stop it!_ Covering his face, he bent forward quietly pulling his covered knees up; the humiliation of crying stung worse than the pain he'd incurred in that action.

Turning him towards a building to shield him from passersby, Tsuzuki knelt next to the wheelchair. "Secret? What hurts?"

With a frustrated noise, the tears kept falling and he tried to breathe with his throat tightening. "I-I don't know. I c-can't stop." The words tumbled out between hitches of breath. He dropped a curled hand into his lap and both weak legs back to the ground as he rubbed at his face with the gauze around his left elbow.

"They have you on some heavy painkillers that can make you moody. It's okay." A hand lightly landed onto the tight fist, and the gentle, nearly reverent feelings were a balm for the painful ache in his chest.

Somehow, the tears worsened with Tsuzuki's heavy presence. Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, Secret rubbed his snotty nose harder, willing the infernal tears to stop and begging when they didn't. Yet, they continued. He felt humiliated, so small and powerless against his own emotions.

"Don't push yourself." Tsuzuki was concerned by the sudden outpour of tears, but was truly unbothered by the display as if he'd been expecting it. "We can wait as long as you want."

It took a few minutes for the pounding waves to mercifully recede. When they finally did, Secret sat back dropping the shaky arm. The muscles in his back hated him for the little bit of movement he did, and his aching lungs reminded him that he had a way to go before he was back to normal.

When Tsuzuki stood up, pulling away, Secret was mortified at himself, at his display, and at the brief yearning to hold onto that large, calloused hand again like he had in the hospital room. He swallowed thickly.

"We're almost there. Hang tight." Along the cobblestone pavement, the world jolted past them again.

Curling his fingers tightly in his lap, Secret looked stubbornly at the gray bricks lined up concentrically on the ground. He'd never been so out of control, not since recovering from his three year stay at the fake hospital.

He had been on painkillers then, so maybe that was the reason.

His reddened eyes remained downcast. Maybe the painkillers were the reason why he wanted to grab hold of Tsuzuki and never let go like a moody, spoiled child.

* * *

Leaning back on the couch in his temporary living room, Tsuzuki was exhausted from that walk pushing Secret here. Tsuzuki had spent all yesterday afternoon and evening moving their stuff to this place and putting it all away. It was a good thing too or else he might not have found the box with Secret's clothing in it.

Now that Secret was tucked into his bed and all cried out, Tsuzuki had a bit of time to unwind.

Dr. Reeve had warned him that Secret had been traumatized by the experience and would be emotionally unstable for a time, but he didn't think he'd start crying right way. He was glad Dr. Reeve's adage about handling Secret's weaker moments worked._ "If all else fails, blame the medication, at least, until he's ready to face himself."_

With his head tilted back, he watched the fan blades spin by, one by one by one in a never-ending cycle and remembered the fight with the Warlock again. It was short of amazing that their natural abilities complemented each other so well. That they had both survived intact against that incredibly powerful Warlock was short of a miracle.

_A wave of magic deflected and dissipated against the shield. Tsuzuki held the unconscious body in his arms, keeping his mind carefully away from how cold his partner's flesh was getting by the moment._

_"I'm a little disturbed at your presence. The boy told me you wouldn't come." The beautiful man smiled, his face twisting into ugly greed. "You won't win against me, Demon Weapon. Try as you might, the boy is already claimed and bound to serve me." With a heavy swipe, another powerful lash of magic rocked against Tsuzuki's bubble of haven. "He has no use for you."_

_Hearing the distinct crackle of his backup barrier unit about to be overloaded and knowing he was stuck until he thought of how to escape intact, Tsuzuki responded. "Your arrogance is going to bite you in the ass someday."_

_"You have no idea who you're offending," the Warlock partially snarled and raised his hand again gathering power._

_Tsuzuki didn't give a rat's ass about offending him, but if he kept running his mouth off at the powerful 'witch' Secret would die. "If you destroy the barrier, I'll survive the explosion, but he won't."_

_The Warlock hesitated and then harmlessly dissipated the powerful magic he had called forth. "Saving yourself? How noble of you." The Warlock held a hand out, his silver eyes gleaming hungrily. "Hand over the boy, and I'll spare your pathetic existence."_

_Nodding with a forced smile, inside Tsuzuki's temper burned. He pulled the crackling barrier cube out of his pocket. His face grew dark with anger. His plan was risky but worth a shot. If he could fight the Warlock on his own, while Secret was protected inside the barrier... "I don't care what you do to him."_

_Deactivating the cube and setting a timer of a minute on it, he placed it into Secret's lax palm. But upon touching his hand, Tsuzuki changed involuntarily as a light enveloped his Meister. Confused, Tsuzuki tried to transform back and failed._

_He was stuck. Somehow Secret was keeping him in his Weapon state, and the more he struggled the brighter Secret glowed. 'I can't fight him by myself like this!' His suicidal plan was effectively botched if he couldn't get out and fight the Warlock on his own._

_"You do care or you wouldn't have come." The pristine shoes approached them as if taunting them. "Acting like the boy can fight at all excites me. Perhaps, I'll keep you for myself? It's been a while since I've corrupted a Weapon..."_

_At least, the man no longer seemed interested in lobbing magical attacks at them._

_'For nearly killing my doll, I want to break you even after you beg me to stop.' A nasty voice, which wasn't his own, speared into his mind._

_Who the hell is that?_

_Something seemed to click and suddenly the world was much noisier as the light grew even brighter. Tsuzuki felt his arm_—_his sword_—_break and fly apart, while the rest of his body_—_the hilt and guard_—_remained in Secret's hand. As if he had timed it perfectly, the shield sprung back to life surrounded by shards of dark metal hanging in the air and glowing with violent red power._

_They were resonating without Tsuzuki adding his focus to the mix..._

_That's impossible._

_"What a ridiculous sight." The voice sounded bored._

_'The boy is practically unconscious; how was he planning on directing your attacks, hm?' A derisive voice followed the words, but Tsuzuki realized they were unspoken. It was the Warlock's thoughts._

_Simply being in touch with those thoughts, Tsuzuki could tell the Warlock was absolutely insane, the madness coating him like oil. With contact to them it began to warp Tsuzuki's thoughts, but something drew him back. His mind was held fast and remained anchored in the harbor of sanity in spite of the madness._

_'This is all I can do.' A clearer, yet soft, whisper breathed out wearily._

_Recognition dawned in Tsuzuki as he realized it was Secret. Pride and stubbornness was threaded through his exhaustion, holding their 'ship' together._

_'I'm sorry you got caught up my fight.'_

_We're a Pair. Your problem is my problem, Tsuzuki replied as if it were a matter of fact.  
_

_While Tsuzuki was humbled by Secret's strength of will, he knew the soul resonance his Meister had somehow managed on his own would go to waste as soon as Secret lost consciousness again._

_Tsuzuki saw his options and made a difficult choice. _

_I'm sorry, Secret._

_Already half-conscious, Secret hardly reacted as Tsuzuki thrust his mind and enmeshed his soul into Secret's body, leaving black tracks on the skin of the hand holding his hilt._

_Secret's smoky mindscape was jagged and treacherous, like a recent war zone. All that was missing were the bodies. Wary of traps, Tsuzuki tread carefully in the direction towards where he sensed his Meister's soul._

_Seconds later, a blue door appeared. He reached for the flat, vertical metal piece where the knob usually was and with the barest touch it opened wide for his entry._

_Tsuzuki gazed into the dim room which looked like perpetual spring at sunset. He heard wind chimes and birds garbling at one another. It was at odds with the harsh noon sun and bare terrain outside of it._

_Secret was sleeping at the edge of the pond, his slight figure garbed in traditional Japanese clothing. If he woke up, he would see what Tsuzuki truly was, and Tsuzuki didn't want to scare him away, not when he was trying to save him._

_With any other pair, stepping into the soul room of another would have created a stronger, more powerful resonance, but for him it gave complete control over the wielder's body._

_It was his nature as a Dark Weapon._

_Purposefully, Tsuzuki barely stood on the threshold, refusing to go any farther. The hunger was almost too much._

_The illusion Secret projected wavered and then fell away. The sight of his bobbing bright soul reminded Tsuzuki of a jellyfish, a delicacy in spite of its scars, so lovely and so, so close. It would be too easy... easy enough to reach out and..._

_Tsuzuki jerked himself upright before he fell completely into Secret's soul room._

_I will not._

_The horrible craving twisted his stomach into knots, but he knew he wouldn't starve. Tsuzuki braced himself against the frame of the door._

_I will not, he repeated inwardly closing his inner eyes against the mesmerizing allure of the pure soul._

_If they were going to live, he had to focus._

_When he opened Secret's eyes, only seconds had passed. Quickly he arbitrated between the perception of sensing wherever his sword-shards floated and the sensation of residing in one pain-ridden body. Flexing borrowed fingers against the cube and hilt, Tsuzuki blew energy into the soul resonance. He felt Secret stir only enough to add to the resonance._

_"...Flame..." Forcing the words through Secret's cold lips, Tsuzuki gasped against the ground at the pain that shot up Secret's hoarse throat from his sore abdomen._

_Anger licked in his bones at the screaming Secret must have endured all alone. Each shard of metal linked to them begin to vibrate in earnest like a hummingbird's wings in flight, and Tsuzuki fueled his new-found rage into it._

_"...Of the... Phoenix!"_

_Fire erupted from the supersonic vibration of molecules in the air and his flaming sword-shards rained down on the startled Warlock, who jumped back into another hot hailstorm of fire and piercing metal._

_He's going to jump there next, and then... Tsuzuki concentrated, cutting off the Warlock's predetermined paths as they were formed. Muraki was going nowhere, but the Warlock stood there brushing the soot off his once-white jacket carelessly as if he wasn't cornered._

_Ignoring the pain, Tsuzuki leveled a furious stare at the madman, who was gazing at him intently. "Nowhere to run." Secret's lips twisted in anger as his vocal chords rasped, swollen by abuse. "I'm going to have you for dinner."_

_"Bold words when the boy can't even fight on his own." The Warlock laughed as he thought, 'Ah, surprise, surprise, and where did my precious doll find you, hm?'_

_But then he was sidestepping fiery attack after attack, his laughter barely off his lips._

_Tsuzuki was no longer using strategy because the slick madness paired with bloated amusement made it next to impossible to read his next moves._

_Losing a chunk of his coat to the rush of red-hot steel, the Warlock realized the scene had turned potentially fatal and lost any trace of amusement he had at seeing the helpless, stupid boy try to willingly give a soul that was his to a Dark Weapon._

_'You've ruined my fun, you wretch!' Fury showed on his face as he realized that, while his fragile plaything was within reach, he was untouchable. The Warlock quickly spelled a shield to block the incoming inferno as he landed gracelessly on his feet. "When I_—_!"_

_Tsuzuki wasted no time redirecting his attack. Fire enveloped the Warlock's form, but in a short moment the flames collapsed on itself with hardly an ember. The evil soul was gone._

_Secret slipped deeper into unconsciousness and their soul resonance petered out._

_Tsuzuki slowly removed from his Meister the part of his soul he had forced onto him. The black lines on Secret's hand retreated leaving unmarred skin. Simultaneously cutting off the flickering shield and transforming, he stumbled to his feet. He was wobbly from the abuse of his darkest powers and ravenous for the soul he'd just released from his grasp. Choking down his hunger and desperately needing space from his hurt Meister, he moved away to check where he'd last seen the Warlock._

_Among the ash was a heaping pile of singed white feathers, a sign that the evil man had escaped_—

Tsuzuki heard the noise of a door opening down the hall and was immediately on his feet. "Secret, you shouldn't try to walk. You know that!" His heart was in his throat as his Meister's shaky form sagged against the door frame.

Tsuzuki intercepted, standing in front of him.

"I didn't hurt my legs," Secret all but growled out. "Get out of my way."

His Weapon held his ground. "What do you need?"

"I don't need help going to the bathroom." The teen's complexion was growing waxy by the second.

Tsuzuki stepped out of the way, but hovered. Just as expected, he saw the warning swagger not normally in Secret's gait. Smoothly, Tsuzuki intersected with his next step using a careful arm to wrap around his midsection, trying to avoid placing too much pressure where the stitches were.

Secret's legs sagged without warning, his ankles bending in way that wasn't conducive to standing. Tsuzuki rearranged his arms and swiped his other arm under Secret's kneecaps. He carried his Meister the rest of the way to the spacious bathroom perfect for someone having to move in a wheelchair.

Sliding the fresh gown up and his rich blue boxers down, Tsuzuki sat Secret down on the toilet as he was coming to._ This is why Dr. Reeve said you shouldn't walk._ "I'm going to step out, but I'm not shutting the door."

An angry stare met his gaze, but a frowning Secret remained slumped against the tank.

Tsuzuki took that as his cue to leave and stood guard out in the hall. He hadn't heard Secret call for him at all, but... then maybe he wasn't the type to. He glanced at his watch and realized he'd daydreamed for almost an hour.

_Maybe he would use a handbell?_

Thoughtfully frowning, Tsuzuki figured it was a good thing that they had a week to get into a rhythm before he had to go back to classes. Dr. Reeve had arranged it like this because she hadn't trusted that Secret would do well unsupervised. As things stood, Tsuzuki was glad now for the doctor's foresight.

If that little stand-off was any indication, watching over Secret might get brutal.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Tsuzuki takes care of Secret! Wait, who's pregnant?


	8. Overseasoned with Love

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you **darkqryslynn **__and **EggDropSoup**_ for looking this over! _Not a lot of action this chapter. That'll be coming soon though!_

**Warning:** Angst

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

**Kami**: Never seen, but referred back to quite frequently in Soul Eater. She's a scythemaster and is special because her soul wavelength purifies Kishin and Witch Souls when she performs a Soul Resonance.

**Nakatsukasa Clan**: The oldest family of weapons descending from the first Demon Weapons created by Arachne 800 years ago. Most of their Weapons are suited to wielders from ninja clans. Only wielders who are flexible and steadfast can master them.

* * *

Tsuzuki sighed tiredly to himself as he cooked a simple breakfast. Taking care of Secret shouldn't be this difficult.

Yesterday's lunch wasn't so bad since he had gotten take-out from Uncle Bob's, a specialty coffeehouse that served the best pastries in the city. The two had eaten their sandwiches quietly. Well... mostly. Tsuzuki couldn't stand long silences, so he talked most of the time.

Tsuzuki had thought after their heartfelt talk in the hospital that maybe if he led the conversation Secret would talk more. No such luck. His Meister was still not a conversationalist. While Secret had thanked him for the meal, he had gone on to do homework that Tsuzuki had delivered before their lunch, ignoring his presence.

The following evening's meal, though, had been really bad. Tsuzuki had cooked his special curry just for Secret, and well... his reaction to his home-cooked food still stung.

Scraping the bottom of the scrambled eggs so it wouldn't burn, Tsuzuki sighed again.

It hadn't tasted bad to him, but with such a scornful expression Secret had spat it out as fast as he could. _"That was awful. Who taught you how to cook?"_

Ruka had taught him everything he knew about cooking. He felt like he tarnished her memory by making food that wasn't enjoyed.

_"Stop overseasoning the food with love, Asato!"_

_It's hard not to overseason it, Ruka, not when curry by itself looks so plain._

Tsuzuki cut off the heat and scraped out the golden-brown egg onto a plate and stared at it. It was missing the flecks of numerous spices and the dots of peppers in it. _Maybe if I just_—

_"Only add some salt to the egg, nothing else"_, Secret's voice had warned last night.

Well, he thought as he salted it again, at least he was able to replace the wrappings around Secret's stitches without any hitch last night. There had been no sign of a panic attack that Hernando had encountered. In the wee morning, Secret did have some nightmares, but not as many as he had staying at the hospital.

Yawning, Tsuzuki opened up the rice cooker and spooned out two great heaps onto the plate next to the pile of cooked egg. He took out a couple slices of pickled radishes from a jar and stuck them on top of the rice.

He placed the plate on the tray along with utensils and a cup of hot tea that'd been brewing for some time. Picking it up he carried out of the kitchen and down the hall.

He knocked on the door. "Hey. I brought breakfast."

"Come in."

Tsuzuki stepped in to see that his Meister had been reading from the textbook that had looked important enough to pack with his clothes.

_He's been crying again... _Secret's eyelids looked rubbed red.

Sullenly, Secret sat up as he set the textbook aside and allowed the tray to be set over his lap. Secret raised a spoon of egg and rice slowly to his lips, as if he expected it to taste bad, while Tsuzuki watched apprehensively.

After he ate three bites, Secret chugged water before setting the glass down and taking up the small, plastic cup with pills in it. "It's too salty, but at least it's edible."

That got a grin from the Weapon. "Better than 'I'm going to puke'."

Tsuzuki was just sleep-deprived enough that he didn't notice that Secret swiped the pain pills and sedatives into his other hand and tossed imaginary ones from his empty hand to the back of his throat and drank water thirstily.

He was too busy feeling very relieved that the eggs and rice had been better received as he whisked the tray up and away. "I'll be back to wheel you to the bathroom." And then he was gone from the room.

Propped up against pillows, Secret reopened the textbook in his lap. He had hardly slept himself since he had stopped taking the assortment of medicines, but that insomnia was normal for him. Expecting bad dreams, Tsuzuki had checked on him many, many times last night full of worry.

Despite the insomnia, Secret had managed to doze a bit before Tsuzuki was shaking his shoulder frantically trying to wake him up. There had been a raggedness to Tsuzuki then, a desperation that Secret wasn't sure was warranted. It wasn't like the Weapon could peer into his dreams and see what they were.

He might not remember the nightmares, but that didn't mean he didn't know what they were about. Based on nurses' reactions to him when he was recovering for those four months after his 'miraculous' survival, he had reasoned that the nightmares centered on that hellish place he had spent three years in.

He shivered, remembering that place full of individuals driven mad by the alternating pattern of debilitating pain and healing care. There had been no other survivors who had escaped Spirit's scythe for a reason. He had been very close to madness himself.

He clutched a hand over the worst of the scars exposed on his arm. He was naive. Using another name to mask his undeserved, distinguished lineage had done nothing to help hide him. It seemed the more he lived with the death curse, the more myths about the curse he discovered were true. He could run nowhere to escape the grasp of Muraki.

Snorting, he dug his fingernails into his arm and ducked his head down. _Still trying to run? I won't give that bastard the pleasure of a chase. I'll kill him. I'll kill him and then..._

There was a physical sensation, like a tingling in his gut that ached up his chest, and he was barely aware of the blurry sight and uneven breathing as wet drops slipped down his cheeks again.

His previous thoughts were lost at the derision he felt at the tears. This was pathetic. How many times was he going to cry? The medicine had long since worn off but all it had done was help him sleep and round down the pain, so it wasn't as sharp.

Tsuzuki had misled him. It might have been possible that the various medicines could cause moodiness, but it was becoming clear to Secret that those were his emotions welling up, threatening to overpower him.

Feelings were just feelings. It wasn't like he could change their stupid course. So idly, Secret flipped through the pages of the textbook still in his lap, vision still blurry as he remembered when Lord Death had first held the textbook out to him on his large, cartoonish glove. _"This will make an excellent reference source for you!"_ The odd, cheery voice resonated somehow behind the simplified skull mask and floating black robes. He wiped at his face with his hand and then rubbed them dry on his soft cotton boxers, blinking to clear his eyes.

Stopping on a page he hadn't visited in a while, Secret mused that if he had trusted what the text had to say about Dark Weapons, then he would never have agreed to partner Tsuzuki. Fortunately for his Weapon, Lord Death had vouched for him.

_A Dark Weapon is born when a Demon Weapon, overcome by fear, develops an insatiable craving for power and ingests a pure soul. Despite the substantial boost in power afforded by the act, the Dark Weapon discovers that neither their fear or hunger are eased. In fact, the continued consumption of pure souls exponentially increases their hunger and fear. If they persist on this path, then a Dark Weapon becomes a Kishin soul._

As far as Secret could derive, Tsuzuki had eaten his first Meister and was extremely guilty about it. Secret had yet to feel this intense hunger the book described. How Tsuzuki could have escaped the typical transformation of Weapon to Dark Weapon might be explained by how it had happened, but Secret had no ideas on that.

_Dark Weapons retain all the abilities afforded to them due to their Demon Weapon heritage but with greater strength, stamina, speed, and agility. However, their corrupted nature is reflected in several acquired abilities that all Dark Weapons share. The most notable of these is that any Normal soul that wields them will eventually be absorbed by the Dark Weapon. Other Dark Weapon attributes include the ability to bewitch a Normal soul to wield them and to take control of the wielder's body._

_Studies of a captive Dark Weapon indicate that Meisters are naturally drawn to their power and ease of soul resonance. However, it is certain that a Dark Weapon can only absorb a Meister's soul by consuming it rather than the simpler act of wielding it. A Meister's natural defenses rebuff bewitchment and the total-body control that would happen unconsciously to a Normal. The Dark Weapon can take control and 'wield' their wielder, but only with prolonged attention. Bewitchment is ineffective against strong-willed Meisters._

Silently, Secret closed the heavy book. He'd read the whole short section before and it mostly carried on with the theoretical ramifications of a Meister-Dark Weapon pairing, like possible corruption of the Meister's soul and other things that he didn't think applied to Tsuzuki now. Then there was another paragraph that followed with real-life examples of the extreme danger involved with subduing a Dark Weapon and the possible scenarios that a Pair might encounter them.

He looked up just as Tsuzuki walked in.

"Studying?"

Readjusting himself and the book, Secret shrugged with his left shoulder, watching Tsuzuki sit heavily in the chair next to him.

Tsuzuki looked at him blankly, silently.

Frowning, Secret tilted his head. "What's wrong?"

"They're pregnant," Tsuzuki said gruffly.

That was a completely unexpected topic. "Who?"

"Spirit and his new Meister, Kami. They're getting married next week."

"Isn't that... a little fast?" Secret counted back the number of days he'd miss healing. "They've only been paired about 5 days!"

"Technically less. Spirit was in the hospital for two days before they let him go." Tsuzuki rubbed his head. "They ah... apparently she's about a month along... Spirit did tell me he was in love, but I didn't believe him..." _'Every time I talked to him, he would be talking about a different girl he was in love with.'_

"It's doomed, then." Secret roughly commented, reopening the book.

"Such a pessimistic reaction! Normally people say 'Congratulations!' and then ask about their choice for baby names." Tsuzuki chastised, putting a gentle hand on the textbook cover to shut it so they could talk.

His Meister made a face. "Whatever. I don't really care about something like that."

Tsuzuki pouted at Secret like he was three. _'Please?'_

Sighing heavily, Secret rolled his eyes upward. "What names are they thinking about?"

"Mack or Maka." As Secret again reopened the textbook when the hand moved away, Tsuzuki interrupted again. "You don't believe in love, do you?"

Looking at him, Secret scowled, "Why is that important?"

Tsuzuki blew out air like he'd been expecting that answer. "Okay, then, as you grow older what do you envision happening?"

Flatly, Secret said, "Only the decline into solitude, misery, and death."

"That's sad."

"Don't pity me!" Secret hissed out with sudden vehemence.

"That's not pity. It's empathy. I know what that world outlook is like." His Weapon gazed at him with hypnotic purple eyes. "Did you really want to live out the years you have left alone?"

"Get out!" Secret thrust his finger at the door, and suddenly pain lanced up his arm causing the muscles to spasm. He made a noise, jerking away from Tsuzuki's touch. "Don't touch me! Leave me alone!"

It felt like his stomach bottomed out, but it was all Tsuzuki, who was alarmed. "Why are you in pain? Did the medici—"

"GET OUT!" Secret bellowed hoarsely; fiery pain was consuming his back.

The worried, apologetic look that Tsuzuki sent him as he shuffled out was like a kick in the pants for Secret. He was pushing him away.

It was what he wanted, Secret reminded himself. He wanted no part in the pity party Tsuzuki had started. He couldn't understand what it was like to be so... Images of force and violence, of getting pinned down effortlessly despite how he fought, stormed his mind. Helpless. Weak. Incapable of fighting off anything without help. Even now, he was relying on Tsuzuki's goodwill to protect him. His welcome would wear out. It would, and then Secret would be left out for the wolves, alone as he'd always been. It was only a matter of time.

_He said it's sad. _Secret sucked down air and chuckled, putting a clamp on the anger and the sadness bleeding out. It held, just barely.

Tsuzuki truly had felt pained to hear the stark portrayal of a future without hope or dreams or love.

People's feelings didn't lie. Tsuzuki... had somehow regained his hopes... his future. If a Dark Weapon did it, was it all that crazy that he thought Secret could as well?

_Yes, it was crazy. _Then, the bubbling, bitter laughter that fell from his lips suddenly caught unexpectedly, and Secret sobbed out.

That was unreal. What did this Weapon really want from him? To save him? It was too late! Secret already wished he'd never been born. He wiped frantically at his face as his breathing hitched, and he held his face roughly every muscle in his body tense.

It hurt to exist, much more than any physical pain could ever compare. His soul ached every day, scarred and part-gone. There would only be relief once the Warlock had finished his meal. Secret burned to kill him, but it was so unlikely to happen he wondered why he bothered fighting at all.

There was no happy ending for him. Pretending death wasn't coming was irrational. Playing that he should live his last years with some, some _hope_ of escape, was illogical. He couldn't force himself to feel happy for Tsuzuki's sake. He couldn't even do it for himself! So what if his expectations were dismal? So what!

_I won't do this! I won't get depressed and stupid just because he said_— Secret shook his head, hating his weakness as Tsuzuki's words got to him. _"Did you really want to live out the years you have left alone?"_

Choking down another sob he grabbed the textbook and flung it off the bed. "No! I _don't_!" He yelled through the renewed tears of pain, forcing the sobs into strangled screams, as he threw each of the pillows separately. He turned and viciously knocked both bed stands over. He wanted to break something so badly, but there was nothing more to throw within reach. He looked to the doorframe his perceptions sharpened by adrenaline brought on by pain and anger.

Tsuzuki was just beyond the door, out of sight. Secret felt the Weapon's heart constrict in understanding pain like it was his own. Secret wanted to howl at him, to scream and shout slurs at him. Anything to make him stop feeling that way because it hurt. He would stop feeling that way if Secret pushed him away hard enough... right? Secret had done it enough times before...

Overcome by dizziness from overexertion, Secret flopped forward suddenly and pressed himself tightly against the bed, clinging to the blankets like he was trying to strangle the mattress. He shook, until the hot rage and anguish—_his_ emotions—having erupted violently, finally left him. Then, he was cold and used up.

He shivered. "Tsuzuki?" His voice was weak, but the Weapon wasted no time to step in.

"Yes?"

Secret wanted to cry again. "I need to go to the bathroom."

Tsuzuki wouldn't be pushed away.

People's feelings didn't lie.

* * *

After the explosion of tears and violence and Secret's frank request was granted, Tsuzuki finally heard the deep breathing of an exhausted, sleeping Secret and entered his room to pick up the mess. He plucked the heavy book off the ground, straightened its pages, and shut it before setting it down on the chair he had quickly vacated an hour ago. Then he collected the pillows, placing them on the unoccupied part of the bed.

As Tsuzuki set the stands upright, he noticed very familiar pills—capsules and tablets—on the ground. He looked up, eye level with the mattress and found the rest of them. He sighed and rubbed his forehead and then his face, sitting down.

Most of them were vitamins. He collected them all in a hand and leaned a bit to pocket them. Dr. Reeve would have to be told. _Damn, why are you doing this Secret?_

If Secret got much worse, then Tsuzuki wouldn't be able to spare him from the nightmares of that hospital. And those nightmares had to be from that place because Tsuzuki could think of nothing else that would make a person's terrified scream sound so animalistic. The memory of it still sent shivers down his spine and raised goosebumps on his arms.

It was another reason why Tsuzuki hadn't let Secret's immaturity rankle him. The kid had lived through enough in his short lifetime.

Picking up a blanket that had fallen from the bed, he stood again to cover Secret with it, noticing the bloody spots soaking up through the bandages along the partly open backside of his gown.

Everyone handled despair differently. Only the weakest willed souls chose the path of Kishin, thinking power would make them impervious to their fear and weakness.

The death-curse was unusual in that it twisted the soul's willpower to the curse's benefit. It was rare as a Witch's curse because there weren't many souls that had such fortitude to remain wholly themselves instead of submitting entirely to the will of the Witch. It was that contest of wills that fed the curse's power and, through the curse, fed the Witch extraordinary power.

So, it was understandable why his Meister would be so stubborn, but Tsuzuki hadn't thought of how that would create a deep need in Secret, lashing out for attention. He had been in the process of trying to soothe his Meister's fears of being left alone, but was cut off before he could. There was another fear, one that could easily be exploited by others who wished Secret harm...

Picking the heavy book up out of the chair, a restless Tsuzuki sat down with a concerned frown. _Secret is terrified of not being in control of the situation or himself._

He remembered the moment that the mask of calm Secret had kept on had disintegrated. The anger and sorrow he'd bottled up manifested uncontrollably, first into gut-wrenching sobs of loss and then into furious screams of denial, denial of any kind of loss or pain or hurt that would cause such misery.

Standing again, Tsuzuki guessed that Secret had refused the medicine on the principle of emotional control, not out of simple defiance. Maybe he could convince Dr. Reeve to let Secret stay here to work things out, but it would be up to her.

With another glance at the still form, he left Secret's room. Tsuzuki knew exactly what he was going to make for his Meister for lunch or dinner, whichever time he would be awake for.

First, he had to make some phone calls.

* * *

When early afternoon came, Secret slowly stirred rubbing at his gritty eyes, disoriented when his back stung.

"Glad to see you back to the land of the living," said Tsuzuki, carrying a tray laden with a plate of food, a glass of water, and a cup of pills into the room.

Sitting up, Secret blinked at him blearily as the tray was set over his legs.

"Well, dig in!" A beaming Tsuzuki gestured enthusiastically.

It kind of looked like a rice dish with egg and vegetables on top.

Secret stared at it, waking up quickly, wondering what the hell Tsuzuki had brought him. Honestly, the egg looked like an undiscovered brown and yellow sea-slug with ugly protrusive brown or green antennae, while the rice looked convincingly like a pile of maggots. He could see that the individual grains were either overdone, underdone, or burnt. Plus, it was the wrong kind of rice—long grain—which added to the maggot effect.

"Tsuzuki, do you know what a recipe is?"

"As long as you make it with love, it should be fine, right?"

"..." Secret turned his stare on him. The Weapon was dead serious. "How much seasoning did you put in _this_?"

"Practically none since you won't eat it otherwise..." The beginnings of a pout were forming in the older man's eyes.

He sighed, the anxiety of earlier run off by his nap, and took his chopsticks squishing a piece off the slug. The texture was rubbery, the green pepper uncooked, and the mushroom was tough like jerky, but it wasn't overly salty even though he knew soy sauce was used in its creation and somehow there weren't as many egg shell fragments in it like the egg from this morning. He ignored the rice. "It's passable, but this rice is a complete loss."

"It does look a bit wormy, huh."

"If you think something like that, then why did you serve it?" He snapped his chopsticks at him.

Tsuzuki raised an eyebrow. "We ran out of regular rice."

Secret heaved another sigh. "You're hopeless." He ate almost half of the egg topping anyway since he was hungry, but left the rest alone. He placed the chopsticks down. "Finished."

Unfazed, Tsuzuki looked directly at the medicine. "You need to take your medicine."

"I don't need it."

"Right." Tsuzuki didn't sound the least bit convinced.

"I won't take it anymore."

"Oh... now it's 'won't'?"

Secret did not like that glimmer of challenge in Tsuzuki's eyes. "...yes. What're you going to do about it?" He narrowed his eyes.

The purple eyes were alight with curiosity as Tsuzuki leaned forward and grasped the little cup, peering at the pills. "Nothing."

Secret started.

"If you want to suffer, I can't stop you. You'll just find another way if I prevent you here."

Secret stared as if he were speaking unintelligibly.

"Regardless of your choice, I've phoned Dr. Reeve and your counselor... Dr. Reeve warned that you'll return to the hospital if you don't take your medicine."

"Isn't that the same as telling me I have to?"

"It really is your choice. You can take them and stay here or you can not take them and go recuperate at the hospital."

Glaring, Secret grabbed the pills, and Tsuzuki watched very closely as they were popped into his mouth. He swallowed them with water.

"Dr. Reeve asked me to tell you to stick out your tongue."

Blushing bright red, Secret tilted his head back and stuck his tongue out lifting it up so Tsuzuki could see he had swallowed the pills. "Satisfied?"

"Yes. You'll see her in the morning to check on those stitches."

Secret grumbled under his breath.

Gathering up the tray, Tsuzuki grinned. "And after your bathroom break, I'll give you a sponge bath."

"Whatever," he ground out before his Weapon went to get the dishes cleaned.

He could imagine worse things than Tsuzuki bathing him... but none of them set his heart racing in expectancy. The part of him that had constantly reacted as if under duress at Tsuzuki's careful attentions was finally giving way to a tender feeling he thought he'd had snatched away from him.

Could he really trust Tsuzuki?

He didn't know why this had happened either. Was it the gentleness? Understanding? His Weapon had yet to shrink away from him—his scars, attitude, or ability.

Tsuzuki cared about him, even if it was buried under all his other emotions, and there weren't any Weapons he knew of who would immediately fight a powerful magic user just to save a one-star Meister... Secret breathed softly. No one had done that before. Even Stein and Spirit had waited until the Warlock was far away before they attacked the hospital...

Holding his hands together, Secret twiddled his thumbs anxiously. He would... trust him. Just a little. If he couldn't even do that after Tsuzuki had risked his neck on someone like him, something really was broken in him other than his soul.

* * *

When Tsuzuki went to collect him, he was pleasantly surprised when Secret leaned into him and wrote it off as the sedatives taking effect as Tsuzuki put him into the wheelchair and pushed him to the bathroom near the toilet. He locked the brakes.

After Secret flushed the toilet, Tsuzuki came in. The things he needed for the sponge bath were already piled up near the shallow bathtub, along with a fluffy towel, a set of clean clothes, and new gauze.

Without a word, Tsuzuki scooped him up and placed him in a niche along the wide ledge of the tub where he could lean his left side against the wall.

Tsuzuki turned on the water. Once the water was warm enough he put a large bowl under the stream. He slid it brimming full next to Secret's feet and then filled another one, before shutting off the water.

He added a small dollop of liquid soap to the bowl nearest to Secret's feet and dropped a new sponge in each. Then, Tsuzuki leaned back. "Ready?"

The drugs were definitely kicking in because Secret looked at him without hostility or embarrassment before nodding slightly.

Tsuzuki pulled the hanging ties apart and opened the gown, slipping it off of him. He unwrapped the gauze around Secret's elbows and wrists and noticed that the barely visible stitches from last night were already gone, absorbed into the body. The ones that had to be removed were all in Secret's back. He unwrapped Secret's neck and torso and took the other used gauze and bundled it all up throwing it away.

Leaving the boxers alone, Tsuzuki took up the roll of saran wrap and started where the stitches began on his back and wrapped plastic around him, around and around and then up and over his right shoulder and then his neck.

Aware of Secret's attention, he bent over and squeezed out the soft sponge in the bowl by his feet. He had no squeamishness in washing the bared flesh, starting from below the plastic covering the small stitching around Secret's neck and moving his way down while avoiding the obstacle course of plastic wrap on his scarred back.

The scarring on his chest and arms was the worst. It was reddened and so thick it looked ropey. The pattern was raised up like a personalized wax seal. Tsuzuki made himself not think about what had created them as he cleaned what was left uncovered.

Secret was quietly watching him while he worked. Unbothered by the scrutiny, Tsuzuki switched sponges, rinsing what he had just washed.

Plopping the rinsing sponge back into the bowl, he plucked the slightly soapy one up again and continued where the boxer's hem ended going down each unblemished, hairless leg. The muscles were lean and firm, and, while his feet looked delicately white, the soles and toes had callouses on them. Again, he switched sponges going back to rinse over what he'd just done. Secret either liked to go barefoot a lot, which Tsuzuki had yet to see, or—

"I've studied and practiced the forms of kyudo, kendo, aikido, judo, and naginatajutsu."

"I bet the Nakatsukasa Clan would beg you to wield one of their eligible Weapons." Toweling the barely moist skin dry, Tsuzuki pulled back draping it over his arm. He leaned over picking up each bowl and setting them one at a time on the ledge next to him, accidentally sloshing their contents. "I'll help you out of your boxers now, but I'll leave the rest to you, if you think you can manage it.

"If I can wipe my own butt, I can handle washing it." The voice was acidic, but it had a quiver of fear beneath it.

"What? I'm _not_ your 'Official Butt-Wiper'?" Chuckling, Tsuzuki held him upright, when Secret shakily stood and leaned against him as Tsuzuki pulled the boxers down for him.

Fingers tightened on his shoulders as Tsuzuki slowly helped him sit back down. A shudder slipped through Secret's body as he sucked down a convulsive swallow of air.

"No. Ab..absolutely _not_." The catching stammer won out over the forced humor in his tone, and the fingers were digging into Tsuzuki's shoulders like a vice. The bald head with sprouting blond hairs was bent downward. "Who the hell would want one?"

"Lazy royalty," Tsuzuki slipped off the boxers that pooled around his ankles and picked it up, "Personally, I like just being your personal cook and steward."

Fingers loosening, Secret lifted his head hesitantly and looked at him, really looked at him this time, and then the moment moved on. "Your food's nowhere near professional."

Not acknowledging Secret's words, Tsuzuki grinned. "So, I was thinking... Is your favorite color blue?" The Weapon lifted the pair of light blue boxers up and flagged them a little. "Every pair I've seen so far is a kind of blue."

The flush that broke out on Secret's face caused him to scowl reflexively and drop his hands to cover his groin. "Get out."

Standing, Tsuzuki never gave himself a chance to see how far the damage went down Secret's abdomen. "Sure, sure. Maybe if you tell me your favorite food?"

"Beef stew with vegetables. Now, get the hell out."

"You got it."

Now away from Secret's side, Tsuzuki stood in the hall calmly, as he heard a sponge wring out over water. He knew he'd have to assist Secret with dressing when he was done, but for now he let Secret be.

Stew, he could make, though knowing how Secret's tastes ran he'd probably have to leave out the cayenne pepper and nutmeg...

At any rate, Secret would be awfully mad when he found out that his counseling session was moved to tomorrow, but with a little luck he wouldn't find out until he was at the appointment.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Secret is well on his way to recovery! Tsuzuki, go visit some friends!


	9. The Sweet Tooth Shrink

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you **darkqryslynn **__and **EggDropSoup**_ for looking this over! Thank you for reading~!

_Soul Eater Canon: _

_**Marie Mjolnir **& **JB**: Another set of Soul Eater characters.  
_

* * *

Latex-covered fingers pressed lightly against his skin as Dr. Reeve inspected the lines of sutures along his back. Stepping back, she pulled off the gloves and dropped them in a bin on the counter-top. "The only damage you did is purely cosmetic. The stitches are fine as long as you don't do that again."

"Am I done?" he asked putting his arms through the short sleeves of an open-by-the-front shirt. Pulling the two ends together, he velcro-ed the flaps together. He most definitely liked this better than having his ass hang out of a gown. He'd think about thanking Tsuzuki later.

Scribbling in his medical portfolio, she raised an eyebrow. "With me for today, yes."

He gave her a quizzical frown.

"Because of what happened yesterday, your counselor was changed to our top psychologist." She flipped through the pages, making sure everything was in order. "He's one of the best psychologists I know."

Secret was stunned first and then angry. How did he not sense this from Tsuzuki? Tsuzuki was cheating somehow, anticipating his reactions more readily than he had any right to. They had known each other for only a week and a half!

"This bites!" He slammed his left fist against the wheelchair's short arm. He didn't want to talk to some stupid shrink.

His doctor didn't bat an eye at the outburst. "Take it easy, Mr. Blackriver or I'll prescribe tranquilizers for you on top of everything else."

"Whatever," he mumbled, slouching into the seat as an attendant arrived. He was pushed out the door into the busy corridor where he easily picked up twenty other thoughts on his way to the waiting room.

Upon seeing Tsuzuki, he glared when they made eye contact. Without worry or concern, Tsuzuki went back to his conversation with the pretty, blond Weapon next to him.

The attendant left him with her thoughts strictly on helping the next patient that needed her assistance.

"Take me to the next appointment and don't say a word," Secret stated abruptly interrupting Tsuzuki's animated chat with the youthful teenager, maybe a year older than Secret.

"Aw, he's cute!" The golden-eyed teen gushed cheerfully, her short blond tresses flapping against her face as her attention was focused on him. "Hello, Secret! I'm Marie Mjolnir. You can call me Marie!" She smiled broadly. "Tsuzuki said you were going to see the Chief next. He's awesome!"

Secret recoiled mentally from her, overloaded by her cheerfulness, and noticed how her energy soaked into the hurt or ill people waiting in the room with her, somehow washing out their misery. Even Tsuzuki was right at ease seated next to her, smiling. "...Who?"

"You'll see." She giggled. "Oh, JB's done! Gotta go!" She hopped up and was gone in a flash, heading towards a tall, but thin, dirty-blond male with an arm in a sling.

Through it all, Tsuzuki hadn't said a word just like he asked._ 'I knew you' d be mad when you found out, but it's the doctor's orders.'_ Secret only glared at him.

His Weapon stood now and took hold of the handles on the wheelchair. Steering him out and through various turns down the corridor, Tsuzuki hummed amidst the silence, his thoughts drifting from one important nothing to another.

So that's how he did it. Ambivalence dominated his thoughts about the discovery; he was somehow both indifferent and impressed. It wasn't really that big of a deal that Tsuzuki had found a _loophole_ against his ability. It was that Tsuzuki had happened upon it within a couple of days.

He knew he was being contradictory, and he didn't like that. Secret liked things neat and tidy, not messy, and contradictory things were very messy. There was no way to easily label it to push it out his mind.

His anxiety was almost unbearable, when they entered another waiting room. Secret forced himself to focus on the mundane. The lights were dimmed and the upholstery, carpet and decorations were on a darker palette than what was in the bright hallway. He felt practically claustrophobic like the walls were trying to close in on him.

Tsuzuki seemed oblivious to his feelings and simply wheeled him just off-center from the check-in counter, so that Secret wouldn't be in others' way. Then, after Tsuzuki put the wheel-brakes on, he took a seat far across the room and picked up a magazine without even an annoying 'good luck'.

The silence of his Weapon chafed unexpectedly and suddenly. For the ten days he had known Tsuzuki, it was the first time Secret felt ignored and that feeling pissed him off. He had _asked_ him to shut the hell up, and Tsuzuki had! Why did he feel so angry about it?

The secretary looked across the counter at him. "May I help you?"

"I have an appointment," he said with a somewhat clenched jaw.

"Ah," She mentally read down the list of names off her scheduler, "Secret Blackriver?" When he gave her a tight nod, she continued with a practiced smile, "We've been expecting you." She handed him a clipboard with a pen stuck through the clip. "Fill this out please. Dr. Konoe will be with you shortly."

Setting it in his lap, Secret glanced over the sheet, flipping it up to confirm that it was double-sided.

It was a questionnaire.

He filled out the basics with ease: name, age, height, weight, etc. Then, it asked him about his favorite food and color, hobbies, talents, and likes/dislikes, which he filled out impassively.

The harder questions came next. It asked him to describe himself, his family and social life, and whether his soul ability affected his day-to-day living, which he answered with as little information imparted as possible. Which was practically none.

Secret flipped the page over not bothered at all that there was a lot of blank space left on the front page. It asked specifics about why he sought treatment, his fears and strengths, and anything that might have caused trauma to him in his past. As he did before, the details were sparse, very sparse.

There were optional questions at the bottom, but he ignored them. Secret turned the clipboard in, his head heavy from dodging the probing questions.

"He will be with you shortly, Secret." The secretary smiled looking it over and then flipped over the piece of paper, typing it up on her computer. _'Yikes, the Chief's got another tough case.'_

Those thoughts struck a particularly sour chord as he casually looked to see Tsuzuki still reading. If the secretary could tell, what the hell was that shrink going to do?

Greeting him with a smile, the same attendant as before appeared, unlocked the brakes, and pushed him past several doors to an open one at the corner of a turn in the hall. When she pushed him into the room, she asked, "Where would you like to be?"

Secret looked around the room at the furnishings. There was a reclined couch next to a short stool, two chairs angled towards each other, and a desk with a wheeled office chair tucked into it facing a chair in the far corner near the window. Sunlight was streaming in, and he saw lush greenery from his vantage point.

"Over by the window with the chair. I want to see outside."

In a short moment, the attendant had dutifully pushed him in place. "This okay?"

He nodded, noticing the brightly colored flowers in the corner of the courtyard.

She set the brakes. "He'll be here soon." Then he heard the door quietly shut. Once alone, Secret relaxed watching the trees and grass stir, though his eyes kept being drawn to that bright spot.

Minutes later, the door opened. He swung his head over to see a grizzled, kindly Meister walk in. "Hello, Secret."

Secret looked back outside, ignoring his sudden anxiety at the shrink's entrance.

The man looked about fifty and felt like he had a no-nonsense attitude. Secret heard the rolly-chair creak as the psychologist lowered himself into it, the desk acting like barrier between them. "I'm Dr. Konoe Chitose, but around here everyone calls me-"

"I've heard already." Right away he could tell that the man's thoughts were quiet, hardly a whisper that he couldn't quite make out. It was a nice touch, though he couldn't help wondering if it was on purpose.

The psychologist chuckled. "Yes. Since this is the first session, I'll tell you how these sessions will go. Excluding this one, each session is an hour long. For now you're scheduled to see me twice a week. I'm here to listen and help you work through your problems. Today, I won't push you. I only want to get to know you better, so feel free to answer or not answer my questions. Anything we discuss here is confidential. Before we continue, do you have any questions?"

When there was silence to that, Konoe pushed forward. "Your hobby is reading, right?"

Secret nodded as he watched the leaves on the tree swirl, wanting to be somewhere else.

"What kind of books do you like to read? A young man like you, I'd expect, would like science fiction or westerns..."

"I read non-fiction only."

"Biographies...?"

Sighing, Secret pulled his eyes away from the window, noticing that the old man had brought in a cup of tea. "World history, current news, martial arts, cookbooks..."

"You cook?"

Gritting his jaw, Secret looked back to the trees annoyed. _Why else would I get cookbooks?_ "Yes."

"If I could cook, I would bake pastries every day." The man smiled even though Secret wasn't looking. It kind of tickled in a way he was unused to because of the brimming sincerity and it, oddly, reminded him of Tsuzuki.

"I hate sweets." Secret put bluntly.

Konoe wasn't bothered by his abruptness. In fact, he was utterly, maddeningly serene. "Why don't you like them?"

"The taste is too strong. I don't like things that are spicy or too sour either."

Seeming to take that in as he sipped his tea, Konoe leaned back. "So, did you have many friends growing up?"

"No." Secret frowned, not sure he liked where this was going.

"Then, tell me about the one you had."

Looking in his direction, but not quite meeting the gaze, Secret scowled, feeling the heat of shame on his ears. "I didn't have any."

Konoe blinked at him as if his answer was unexpected.

The pathetic, damning words came out, likely demolishing whatever assumption the shrink had had of him. "The village kids were scared of me." Hearing himself say that, Secret felt like a loser. He had watched how easy friendship formed with others and thought he could do the same.

The first and only time he played "Kagome, Kagome", it had ended disastrously. He'd wrongly thought that the others would be impressed that he could guess each one of them correctly, when he was 'it', the blindfolded oni. Even when his mother had stepped into the circle with a mischievous feeling, he thought being able to tell... He blinked, feeling sick to his stomach at the memory, rubbed his eyes, and scowled. "My father had high prominence in the village; I was his son, so that was their natural reaction to me."

"Were you the only child in your family's compound?"

"No. There were a couple kids of the servants, but they were scared too. The only people around me were paid to be: tutors and masters of various paths." The numb words flowed off his tongue and out of his mouth without the agonizing feelings of bitterness and loneliness that had categorized his outburst last night.

"And your parents didn't?"

"My father was crippled in his youth. His nerves are warped somehow." Secret shrugged.

The old man leaned forward and tilted his head in interest, just then focusing on him. "Hm. I thought you seemed familiar."

Secret looked once more outside and tried not to squirm under the scrutiny, willing time to move faster. Secret could tell that Dr. Konoe's interest had piqued much more considering his lineage. He wondered how the psychologist had known his father.

"So, it's safe to say that you aren't on good terms with your mother." The voice was kind, and the sympathy was gentle without being obnoxious.

"Correct." Secret waited for the inevitable questions about his heritage and his decision to change his name.

There was another pause as the psychologist took a sip. "Do you count Tsuzuki among your friends?" Konoe steepled his fingers, tone business-like.

Disturbed by the sudden change in topic, Secret frowned. "He's not my enemy."

Dr. Konoe chuckled, dropping his hands and picking up his cup of tea.

Secret's head whipped back as he glared at him. _What was so funny about what I said?_

The old man gave him a curious look, cup raised as if he were about to take a drink. "If you have a problem with something, you should say it. I expect open communication between us."

"You laughed at me."

The old man dipped the glass as if pronouncing a toast, "I apologize for hurting your feelings." Then he had the gall to take a long drink from it.

Secret scowled, hating that he couldn't point him out on that lie. Even if the shrink was sorry, the chuckling had been deliberate. "You didn't hurt my feelings."

"Then, why glare?"

Secret paused and then looked away, feeling as if scolded. "I didn't like it."

The old man took another long sip from his tea as if contemplating something now that Secret had admitted that insignificant thing. The young Meister remained tense in the silence of the pause, unused to the quiet mind and wondering why the hell the psychologist had been hedgy about something so small.

Still holding the tea cup up, the shrink smiled warmly. "Well, my chuckle _has_ become very coarse as I've gotten up in the years. I can't apologize for that, but I can promise to withhold any more sounds of amusement if you'd like."

_He's sincere. If I said so, he would._ Gritting his teeth, Secret let out a breath and decided Dr. Konoe was fishing for just such a response. "Don't bother. Just tell me what you found so funny."

Immediately the old man's expression became graver, sterner. "I chuckled because I find your situation incongruous. You stay paired with a Weapon that you don't trust, yet trust him enough to depend on him for your basic needs while in a critical point of your recovery." The psychologist gently set his drink down on the desk. "I imagine it's a stressful place to be," he said softly.

"I don't know him," Secret whispered the same answer he'd given about his pairing on paper and then added more. "It's not that I don't trust him. He's already..." Secret stopped suddenly and frowned. "You set me up for that."

"I don't make your choices for you. You chose to share; I'm only here to listen." Leaning back again, the wily Dr. Konoe threaded his fingers together and laid them upon the desk and waited patiently.

_What's his deal?_ Secret's eyebrows furrowed in thought as he thought back over their conversation. Secret's heart leaped into his throat. "I'm not afraid of Tsuzuki if that's what you think."

"Then why not count him as a friend?"

"We don't have anything in common other than cooking, and he sucks at that." He scowled again, unapologetic. "We're more like business associates. Our partnership is mutually beneficial."

"To have a friendship, it isn't even necessary to have the same interests."

"So?"

"As long as you enjoy each other's company, it is enough," Dr. Konoe stated simply.

"He's annoying and is constantly in my space and bothering me."

"Have you told him that he needed to back off?" It was irritating how this old man stayed the course.

"No." Secret frowned at the tranquil face of the psychologist. _What are you getting at?_

"How can you expect him to read your mind?"

Thinking that he was referring to his own ability, Secret was suddenly anxious again, and he felt his hands get sweaty. He looked out the window and stared at the flowers, waiting for the accusations to begin, how he was the one causing the problems in the relationship.

"From what you've said, the basis for a friendship is already there," the psychologist continued, "He supports you during this tough recovery period, and I can only assume that he keeps bothering you because he's worried. It sounds like there's some communication shortfalls between the two of you, and that once those are eased a friendship would form." He sipped his tea as Secret digested that.

"I boss him around." Secret admitted angrily and shifted in the uncomfortable chair, bothered that what had been troubling him the most was spotlighted by their short conversation. "But he doesn't stick around to be friends; he needs a Meister. Like I've written on that stupid piece of paper, our partnership is mutually beneficial. He needs me to wield him because no one else will, and without him, I'm defenseless."

"Have you asked him what he thinks about you?"

"No."

"Then how do you know he only sees you as a means to an end?"

"I never said that!" Secret's volatile anger flared up, and his hand gripped the arm rest tightly as he glared out the window. Secret took a deep breath, releasing the arm rest, and his shoulder ached in relief from the burst of pain his tension caused. Then he mumbled, "He doesn't treat me like that." _He cares too much._

"I understand." Solemn eyes regarded him carefully. "Then, are you afraid of being friends with him?"

Secret's face and ears reddened, so he paused to shove the explosive anger down. "Why do you think I want friends? Maybe I like being alone," he finally responded hotly.

"Solitude and social isolation are two very different things. One is a matter of choice while the other is forced onto someone."

The younger Meister kept his mouth firmly shut as his jaw tensed. The impulse to throw something at him was a palpable feeling.

Dr. Konoe seemed to be satisfied by his non-response. "If I may offer some advice?"

"It's not like I have anything better to do right now," Secret forced out.

Ignoring his interruption, Dr. Konoe smiled, "Talk to him."

"Like that would help," Secret bit out sarcastically.

The Chief waved a hand. "Do as you wish, but the main issue here is that you aren't used to social interaction between equals. If you were to treat him less like a servant, then you might feel better about your relationship with him."

"Whatever you say," Secret answered irritably.

Dr. Konoe glanced at the timepiece on the desk, while Secret pursed his lips together pressing them tight against his teeth as he tried to make sense of what just transpired.

As Secret continued to frown in consternation, Chief smiled gently. "Congratulations. You survived twelve minutes of conversation with me. Did you want to say anything else before you go?"

While the old man rummaged in the drawers of the desk, Secret answered, "No."

With a bright blue folder in hand, Dr. Konoe stood slowly as his knees popped and walked around the desk to hold it out to him.

Curious to know its contents, Secret took the offered folder, wondering if it was coincidence or deliberate that it was his favorite color.

"In there are some basic self-assessments that I would like you to bring back filled out. All I ask is for you to be honest with yourself."

Flipping it open, one of the papers had 'Self-Esteem Assessment' emblazoned at the top before he flicked the folder shut suddenly.

"It was nice to make your acquaintance, Secret. Maybe next time you'll make me a honey sponge cake to go with my tea?" The tone was rife with teasing.

"Not on your life," Secret retorted.

The old man chuckled and exited with a small wave and one last glance.

* * *

"It must be boring sitting around inside all day. Do you want to go out?"

"Ah. I guess..." Tsuzuki blinked at the teenager he had just set on the bed. "But it would have been nice if you had said something before I took you out of your wheelchair," Tsuzuki complained in a playful manner as he scooped him up again while he wondered what the Chief had said to Secret.

"No, that guy didn't tell me to do anything." Secret heaved a sigh, looking off to the side awkwardly as he was placed again into his chair. "Never mind. I'm hungry."

Grinning at Secret's mercurial mood, Tsuzuki nodded and pushed the chair out of his room and down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Do you want stir-fry?"

"Don't go crazy with the seasoning," Secret stated plainly as he was rolled and braked near the counter by the chairs.

"Sure, sure." Tsuzuki really felt like his cooking was getting better through Secret's strict instructions and frank feedback, so he didn't mind the bossy order. He did take note that Secret's exasperated tone completely lacked irritation at having to remind him.

Tsuzuki took a large container of precooked, slightly scorched rice, his best batch yet, out of the fridge and set it on the counter. He cleaned the assortment of vegetables, peeled some onions, and chopped them all up. Because he was busying himself in the preparation of a delicious meal, he missed the wince Secret directed at the haphazardly cut pieces of veggies.

Fully in his element now, Tsuzuki put oil into the big wok and clicked on the gas-powered oven. When the oil spread thinly, Tsuzuki tossed all the veggies in and stirred it up with a long-handled wooden paddle. He added a scoopful of jarred garlic to it, more oil, pepper and tons of powdered ginger, flipping the bits of vegetable around cheerfully. It sure was smelling great.

"It looks done. Add the rice and soy sauce before you burn it."

Pausing for less than a moment, Tsuzuki did as he was told, turning off the heat. He used the paddle to slop rice and veggies onto plates and then placed one in front of Secret. After collecting a pair of chopsticks for them both, Tsuzuki pulled up the chair next to him. "Well, let's dig in!"

"I humbly receive" came the quiet mumble.

"Hey, you didn't even complain about how it looks this time. I must be doing better." Tsuzuki paused for all of five seconds to take another large bite. "I think tomorrow I'll make sweet eggs for breakfast with fermented beans." Another pause and Secret kept eating. "I've never made sweet eggs with maple syrup before, but I'm sure they'll taste great!"

While Tsuzuki continued to carry a conversation by himself, Secret wondered why he couldn't seem to add to it no matter what the psychologist said. Maybe the Weapon wouldn't have been encouraged to continue if Secret had snapped at him like usual. Privately, Secret was glad Tsuzuki could keep it up, so he could eat and listen while he relaxed.

It wasn't long before they were both done. Tsuzuki placed the plastic cup of pills in front of him. He took them and deliberately showed Tsuzuki the space beneath his tongue. Then Tsuzuki picked up the dirty dishes, took them to the sink to rinse off, and put them in the dishwasher.

"Tsuzuki?"

"Hm?" He was adding soap and shutting the dishwasher to run it. Beeps told Secret that Tsuzuki was selecting settings and then the water kicked on. Tsuzuki straightened and looked at him patiently. "Yes?"

"Are..." Secret hesitated. It seemed so stupid to ask, but... "Are we friends?"

"We're comrades."

"What does that mean?" Secret's voice was a little annoyed and puzzled.

In his next breath, Tsuzuki was beside him taking a seat. "We're more than friends. We rely on each other through thick and thin. We work together to accomplish our goals and dreams."

Secret scoffed. "I screamed at you last night, and I threw stuff at you. I broke one of the bed stands."

"Yes, but I needed to hear what you had to say. I couldn't hear you before then. And broken things can be fixed or replaced." Tsuzuki smiled.

Breaking eye contact, Secret muttered, "Thanks for the meal."

"You're very welcome." Tsuzuki took that as his cue to lift the brakes and push the wheelchair towards the door. "I'm glad you want to go out. It's always beautiful this time of year."

The motion stopped and the door opened. The cool breeze in the deep shade teased Secret's hair and eyelashes, and he squinted at the sudden glare farther down the walkway. The air was dry which was expected when a city was situated in the middle of a desert.

"The sun will feel great after being stuck indoors for so many days," Tsuzuki added enthusiastically and continued when Secret said nothing. "We haven't really been out much, except for your appointment."

Secret just let Tsuzuki's happy babbling roll over him, listening to him talk. Being with Tsuzuki comforted him. Before the whole fiasco with their first case, paranoia had stubbornly clung to Secret. Now for what felt like the first time, he was at ease. For now, he felt safe. He was with his comrade. He hated to admit it, but Dr. Konoe was right. He owed him a damn sponge cake.

Bright light hit his face as he was pushed out from under the eaves. Strong memories of two giggling children chased one another across the cramped area of the tree-filled courtyard, abutted to the hospital. One of the two brown-haired kids was waving a bag of seeds while the other clutched for them with a watering can in hand. They looked so similar it was hard to tell them apart, other than one was shorter and the other wore a dress. Secret blinked and they disappeared like a mirage, their ghostly voices fading softly away.

Tsuzuki sighed wistfully. "You know, Secret. There's an orphanage not far from here, if you want to see it."

Slowly lifting a hand, Secret cautiously pointed to the sunniest corner. There was a haphazardly arranged garden of brightly colored flowers, the ones he had admired just hours before during his session with Dr. Konoe. Tsuzuki instinctively looked where he pointed, and a strong memory from several months past tumbled out. His figure was bent over the flowers whispering to them as he pushed dirt up in a little mound for the newest addition to the family.

Still worried about the repercussions, Secret stated quietly, "Some of those you planted with her. And you plant a new one each year she's gone because..." It felt a little too personal, so he fell silent, even as his throat choked up with a grief that didn't belong to him.

Caught off guard, Tsuzuki didn't answer for a little while._ 'Because I don't want to forget her.'_ There was an errant bird chirping as he remembered the scene again. "Yes, Zinnia were her favorite." He recalled again with a smile at Ruka's joy and the many bright colors that Zinnia could come in, and how they had play-fought over who would plant and who would water.

Setting his hands back into his lap, there wasn't anything more that Secret wanted to say. He was glad that Tsuzuki's sadness had stopped tainting the loving memory, even while he envied Tsuzuki.

"We were both orphaned because of Kishin souls. I was a baby when I was brought here. My earliest memories were with Ruka." Tsuzuki was lost in memory again as a very young Ruka went over the alphabet with him, _again_. "Ruka swore we were family because we looked so similar, but when our abilities were tested, she turned out to be a Meister, while I wasn't. We could have been half-siblings or our parents could have been a Meister and a Weapon, but I think it was just her wishful thinking. We came from different parts of the continent."

Secret's breath threatened to burst from his chest if he didn't say something. "It must have been nice to have someone."

He felt Tsuzuki hurt for him. "You were alone?"

"I was raised in an important family in a small village. When..." Secret's chest got tight. "When my mother went crazy... She had been very protective and then she wasn't." The whispers and hurtful thoughts swam around inside his head, and he closed his eyes and swallowed lost in his own memory. "I don't remember a time when I wasn't alone after that."

"But we're not alone anymore, right?" Tsuzuki forced a grin even while he thought,_ 'I wish she had paired off with someone else...'_

Secret looked at him with a frown. "Why...?" He broke off not sure he had the right to even ask something so invasive.

Blinking and tripping over his previous thoughts, the light in Tsuzuki's eyes dimmed. "I killed her." The voice was dead, and the emotions were as deadened as his eyes likely were. "Then I..." He choked on whatever words he tried to express, and the deep blackness and the ever-constant hunger in his heart surged up. "I became a monster."

Secret flinched at the sudden voracious appetite, and his stomach knotted up painfully. _How, how could he be hiding **that**?_ He became fixated on the smell of such a pure soul so close to him. _No, that's me._ Shaken, Secret looked at Tsuzuki in a whole new light. Tsuzuki hadn't escaped the horrors of a Dark Weapon after all.

Tsuzuki took a deep breath, banishing both from him. "Sorry about that. Remembering makes it harder to pretend..."

"It's fine." Secret said a little too quickly, gulping down air as he felt his face gather back its normal coloring. The ravenous hunger, just the glimpse of it, had set Secret's heart rate surging, but he was less alarmed than he thought he'd be. As if greatly practiced, Tsuzuki had shoved down that hideous truth like resetting a possessed jack-in-the-box; his Weapon had shown him trust in revealing it, revealing that much to him, but hell if Secret was going to let him back off. "You don't have to relive it to tell me what happened..." The bitter words shot out of Secret's mouth like a spray of bullets.

There was a long pause as Tsuzuki ruminated on that.

There was a heavy, doubtful sigh. "It was a mistake, but it was too late by the time I swallowed. We were chasing a Witch. There was an illusion... We were both badly hurt. I had to finish off the Witch myself. And then..." Tsuzuki shuddered as blood and violence and death flashed in his mind followed by horror and bone-deep regret, unshed tears in his eyes as his throat convulsed and his stomach ached as if starved. "I'm sorry. I can't say any more." Tsuzuki's voice sounded exhausted and small. Weak. Secret could relate to that helpless feeling and stubbornness.

"It's all right. That's more than enough," Secret said shakily. He took a deep breath and then another trying to calm his nerves at the pain and sadness and ravenous hunger Tsuzuki had uncovered for him to see. He listened to the breeze as it threaded through the environment around him and tried to calm down. A cloud momentarily blocked the sunlight before revealing the scene once again. "Take me back inside."

Quietly, Tsuzuki carefully swiveled him around and pushed him back inside. Cold air swirled around them as the slightly bumpy ground made way to smooth tile leading back towards the small covered porch outside the door.

After he was taken to the bathroom, Secret was again placed on the bed, and he cracked open the textbook and took up his notebook and pencil. "I should be fine here. Why don't you go visit someone? Walter looked like he wanted to catch up with you last time..."

"If you're sure..." Tsuzuki was fuzzy, slipping into past memories. Being around Secret wouldn't help him.

"I am."

Secret watched Tsuzuki inwardly debate it and then set a small cell phone on the remaining bed stand on top of the blue folder. "If you need help, hold down 1. It'll speed dial the hospital."

"Thanks."

"I'll see you later then."

As soon as Tsuzuki left, Secret quickly shut the notebook and textbook setting them beside him. Then he leaned slightly to pick up the folder off of the bed stand, grabbing the phone before it could slip off.

Opening the folder, Secret leafed through the four pages. With a resigned sigh, he pulled a sheet out and started circling whichever number on the scale of 1-10 answered each question.

* * *

As Tsuzuki climbed the stairs to the upper floors of the dormitory, he collected himself. There would be a hurdle to overcome visiting his longtime friend. He knocked on the door.

When he heard the baritone voice say, "I got it", Tsuzuki's smile froze.

Terazuma Hajime, Weapon, grimaced when he opened the door. "Hell, why do you even bother showing your sorry-ass face here? Scram!" With an open-handed, lazy dismissive wave, he shooed Tsuzuki like he was a stray.

"Move. I'm here to see Wakaba, not you."

With an ugly, sour look on his face, Terazuma leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. "Too fucking bad."

"Hajime! Get out of the way before I grab you!"

Wakaba's voice pierced the scowling Weapon, who unfolded and grabbed Tsuzuki by his jacket. "Evil like you shouldn't be allowed to live here peacefully."

"Be careful, jackass, or I'll end up eating you." Tsuzuki's face twisted hungrily. He was too close to the thin edge to have this jackass in his face. Why did he think this was a good idea?

"I'd like to see you try!"

A thin, nicely manicured hand laid itself on Terazuma's shoulder, and he began to glow red.

Releasing Tsuzuki, Terazuma growled as he suddenly transformed into a wicked looking, heavy crossbow with a matching quiver of black-shafted bolts. Tsuzuki knew from experience that the barbed tips on the bolts were more than ready to shred whatever it touched with hot flames.

_It's a good thing that Wakaba can control whether he comes loaded or not_, Tsuzuki thought with widening grin.

_'Kannuki!'_, the enraged voice screamed out.

With a thud, she hung her Weapon up on the coat rack in the foyer. "I told you what would happen if you didn't move. Quit sulking; you should've known better!" She flashed a smile at Tsuzuki who grinned back.

_'Kannuki!'_ The bulbous, white-and-red eye fixed on Tsuzuki, who remained greatly amused. _'I'll kill you, bastard!'_

"Don't worry, Hajime; I'll be back before you know it!" She patted Terazuma's stock like a pup, and then pushed Tsuzuki out the door. She shut and locked the door as Terazuma cursed foully behind it. She sighed in exasperation and headed down the walkway to the stairs. "Sorry about that."

"You could have left him alone," Tsuzuki admitted. "He's all bark."

Wakaba wrapped an arm around his and walked with him. "Hajime's gotten cocky. He can't just say crap like that to you without consequence."

"At least he's honest about it."

"I guess that's something." She smiled and hugged his arm again. "Well? To what do I owe this occasion?"

"Secret kicked me out. Said I needed to go visit some friends."

"Oh? If a mother hen like you leaves, that must mean he's doing much better, hm?"

"Mm."

"How about we got to Uncle Bob's? He has tons of pastries to choose from!"

"Ah, that sounds like heaven!"

In what seemed like no time, they entered the smoky, brightly lit interior and took a booth. They spent the lively night catching up with each other and ate sweets galore.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Who's gone missing? Secret reveals his attachment!


	10. The Truth Behind The Slacker

**_Author's Notes:_**_ Thank you for all the story alerting and fav-ing! But really if you have any comments, don't be shy and leave a review!_ _*hearts* I hope you all continue to enjoy the fic!_

* * *

Almost a month had passed, and Tsuzuki had finally been given the okay to attend class, though he avoided it when he could. Of course, it was no secret that their teacher's greatest pet peeve was chronic absenteeism.

"Ah, so you've finally decided to grace us with your presence once again, Tsuzuki?"

As usual, half of the class snickered.

Tsuzuki tried not to crack a smile. "Nah, it's the usual. Turning in Secret's finished homework." He held out the folder to the taller man who frowned deeply at him.

"Tsuzuki, your grade is dropping by the day."

"I know, _Mr._ Tatsumi. If you allowed me to drop these off during your office hours, I wouldn't be here at all." He smiled when an idea came to him. "Besides, your students perform better when distractions are removed, right?"

"You aren't a distraction," replied an increasingly irritated teacher.

Several of his smirking classmates raised their hands, some in earnest as if to say 'We don't want him here! He's a distraction! I can't focus!'

The three-star Meister ignored them, while Tsuzuki looked pointedly towards those students. "Hey, it's not their fault if they don't want someone like me around. Anyway, if your lecture today is on soul resonance techniques, then I know all about those."

With a heavy sigh, Tatsumi shook his head. "Very well. Come see me in my office for today's assigned work." Then, he addressed the class, sternly. "Don't think you can skip so easily. Tsuzuki, here, so graciously promised to ace his tests and if you can't do the same you'll flunk my class."

Feeling queasy, Tsuzuki tried his best not to look intimidated. Sure, he'd already been through these classes once before with Tastumi and a slew of other Meisters, but he'd _never_ performed well on those written assessments. He frowned, wondering how he was going to get out of that 'promise' he never made.

His sudden dark mood didn't go unnoticed by his classmates. While most laughed and jeered, a couple looked a bit sympathetic at his predicament. He slunk out, just as Tatsumi was reining in control of the class again.

It wasn't because he didn't know the information. Truly, Tsuzuki's weakness was that he had never been good at writing. Of course, it would help a hell of a lot if he understood what he was trying to say.

It had started way back in nursery school. His sister had taught him his letters, but he kept screwing up several of them, since many looked a lot alike, flipped this way or that. When they were combined to make words, the letters scrambled, so he often read it wrong.

It had been his waking nightmare to be separated from her and flunking the reading exams would have landed him into a mess of remedial classes away from her. They had seen that happen to another would-be Pair, and the remedial classes had the guy held back for two years before entering the DWMA.

To avoid that same fate, Tsuzuki knew he had to absolutely pass those tests. Luckily, since the reading tests were given in rounds, after Ruka took them, she had been able to tell him with great detail what they had been about and how he should answer them. It was pure luck that the tests had a lot of the same information when it was Tsuzuki's turn. He had _just_ scraped by with a pass when looked at the posted scores and had exhaled in relief. Ruka had leaned in to check them again herself. They had shared quite the impish, knowing grin.

As an adult, he knew it had been a very dumb thing to do, since it meant he couldn't read or write worth a damn. He didn't regret it, since he would not change a single thing about his first Pairing. He had loved every moment with Ruka...

_The sturdy tree branch devoid of leaves and twiggy extensions whistled through the air, again and again. The skinny, pale form, wearing a sundress, with a head of long dark brown hair had that same fine hair stuck to her forehead, neck, and shoulders from sweat._

_"Sis, what'cha doin'?" He asked swinging legs on the bench he sat on, already bored from watching._

_"Practicing. What did you think, Squirt?"_

_"You're swingin' a stick around like some flies are botherin' you."_

_"I'm practicing! See, this-" She pointed at the stick. "Is you."_

_"Why can't you swing me around for real?" He frowned, looking at his dirt-stained bare feet._

_"Don't you listen to the teacher at all? It's dan-ge-rous."_

_"So?"_

_"So, I want to be your Meister some day."_

_"So?"_

_"So, I need to practice with the stick since we found out you're a sword."_

_"So?"_

_"So," she blew out in exasperation, "if we resonate when we're still young, we could die."_

_"Oh." He pouted at the ground. _

_"Shucks, Asato. You don't listen in class at all, do you?"_

_"Why? Most of that stuff the teach tells us, don't have anything to do with me."_

_She huffed at him and put her balled up fists on her hips like their teacher always did. "Tsuzuki Asato! You know you'll live longer than me, so you ought to know how to train a new Meister when I die!"_

_"Huh?" His head snapped up and stared at her with wide eyes, speechless. Ruka was the same age as him but she acted like she was twelve. It was times like this that he remembered the time he'd eavesdropped on Mrs. Guiyon telling her that she needed to straighten up her grades and test scores so she'd get out of the lowest-ranked class. The word 'genius' and 'remarkable ability' and some other long words he didn't get had been thrown around like dice in a dice game. _

_The stick dropped down, and she flicked her hair from her shoulder. "I've never heard about any Demon Weapon dying of old age, have you?"_

_"What'cha talkin' about now, Ruka?" His nine year old self had laughed nervously at the suggestion. "That's crazy talk."_

_"Mrs. Guiyon won't say, so I think I'm right."_

_"Why not?"_

_Ruka laughed. "Because we're kids, Squirt!"_

_"So?"_

_"So, adults don't like talking about death."_

_"Nobody likes talkin' about it. You're the one that's always goin' on about it."_

_"Well, I'm not afraid of it. When it happens, it happens." She gave a quck shrug. "You afraid of dying?"_

_"What? No! I'm not afraid of nothin'!"_

_She tsked at him like the Dorm Matron. "_You, sir,_ are afraid of needles."_

_"I was five! Gimme a break!"_

_Her smile spread out, and she winked. "Our little secret!" _

_He stuck out his tongue and she laughed. Then she lifted the stick and started to swing it around again._

_If she's gonna work so hard, I should too, he thought to himself. He lifted his right hand up and concentrated. His four fingers hardened to steel, nails turning to sharp points. But they were still metallic fingers with locked joints and below his knuckles was skin. He tried to remember the feeling of his whole arm transforming when the adult Meister had Synched with him, but it was like trying to keep pond-scum from sticking to his fingers. Unpleasant and slimy._

_Blue eyes blinked at him impressed. "Nice going, Asato!" She breathed out. From his elbow out ran a dark blue sword edge. Then the moment was gone and it was just a regular arm again._

Tsuzuki took a deep breath. What he regretted was that there had been a time after his massive screw-up when he had hated these memories and had tried to obliterate them since they haunted his dreams.

_Ruka.._. In spite of his stubbornness, she had taught him ways to remember information without needing those weird symbols on plain paper. He owed her so much, but he could do nothing with that feeling other than preserve her memory. Ruka's warm voice resided within nearly all of the books he owned, if he only spent the time to open the cover and remember...

Sadness bubbled up in his chest, and his eyes grew misty in the school's corridor.

He thought about asking Secret for help, but was worried he might overstep the fragile boundaries of their budding friendship. Besides, Secret had already grumbled at him about skipping class and not doing his homework, being the studious bookworm that he was. He thought eventually that Secret at least would pick up on it, unlike the others. For now, it didn't seem that important to mention with his Meister still healing.

Stepping down the stairs outside the DWMA, two at a time, his mind cleared out the thoughts of his two most precious Meisters, both living and dead. What he really needed was a distraction... He headed to the bustling marketplace, hands in the pockets of his billowing black trench coat.

Once there, he paid for a large bag of fresh apples and thanked the fruit seller. Turning uphill, he trekked, until he heard young children giggling madly up the road from him, as they waited in ambush behind trashcans and corners of buildings.

Suddenly, they attacked, yelling out. Careful not to grin, he changed his grip on the bag so nothing would fall out, lazily jumped at an angle over the swinging sticks and castoff cardboard swords, and executed a backflip over the excited, playful children, clearing far above their heads. A collective gasp sounded at this feat of strength, and they squealed rushing towards him.

He jogged at a slow lope merrily the rest of the way. He wasn't worried about absorbing their fragile souls by accident because this particular orphanage raised only Meisters or Weapons. There was another orphanage on the edge of town safely away from the DWMA, packed with Normals. All of the children were causalities of Lord Death's fight with Kishin souls and Witches.

"Mr. Tsuzuki?" The short, young woman couldn't contain the chuckle, standing by her stoic husband. "What are you doing here?"

"Escaping the hordes." He offered the tall, muscular three-star Meister the sack and winked at Kaori. "It's a specialty of mine."

"I'll say," she agreed.

"I believe your 'specialty' has always been riling them up, Tsuzuki," Vinny King opined.

Kaori laughed and nudged him with an elbow. "Don't be jealous, Mr. 'King of Frowns'. The children hardly get to see him as it is."

Vinny rolled his massive shoulders at his Weapon. "Let's talk, Tsuzuki, once the brats have finished you off," he said wryly. Without waiting for a reply, the gentle giant left with the apples in hand, just as the children swarmed the two of them. They counted fewer than a dozen, out of breath at running full speed uphill, but nowhere near exhausted. Tsuzuki became a breathing treehouse as those more adept at climbing crawled onto his back and hugged his shoulders or waist, while the others remained on the ground and clutched or hugged his hands or legs.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Half of them chanted excitedly, while the older ones were all talking at once, not that he understood six conversations at once.

"I caught a bug! It-"

"And then we made a-"

"-taller than a-"

"-a pwetty dollie-

"-saw a dog that-"

"-wheelbarrow! We-"

Kaori King clapped her hands quick and hard, and the voices died down as all those eyes turned to her imploringly. "That's enough. Mr. Tsuzuki can't listen to all of you at once! Take turns telling him _one_ thing. Jarod, go first."

The shyest boy of the group, aged two and a half, gazed adoringly up at Tsuzuki and stuck a fist in his mouth in response. Tsuzuki freed his right hand to pat his head. After the first pat, the young boy ducked out of the way and hid behind another child. He peeked around the much taller four year old, and Tsuzuki chuckled at him.

One by one, the orphanage's House Mother called them by name while they still clustered around him. As he listened, he knelt to let the little ones slide safely off of him as they tired. The eldest held fast though, so he stood again with the little monkey dangling.

He learned alot about them. Friendly dogs, delicate gifts, outdoor treasures, and new sights and sounds. All those things that captivated young children with wonder. He loved listening about their adventures, since it reminded him that there was a world outside of fear and hunger.

Then, finally it was the eldest's turn.

"We made a monster in art with paper and glue. Mine walks on his hands and has four arms and sharp teeth!" It was the same monster she always drew or created, an image burned into her mind from a long time ago.

"Do you get to paint it, Kazusa?"

"Mm!"

"What colors?"

"Orange and blue! Don't worry, I'll share the candy with you after we beat it! " Her arms squeezed tightly around his neck as her legs grew tired, and he lifted her up with his interlocked hands behind him. The other children had grown listless but the older ones were still curious enough to be listening.

"Thanks, I'll keep you to that!"

"My birthday's soon," she said abruptly, "Will you come?"

"Sure! When is it?"

"It's the 20th, in October. Don't forget!"

"In about two months...? Yeah, I can do that!"

She giggled happily. "Yay!"

"Oh, and mine!" "Oo, mine, too!" The chorus of children erupted, all begging him to come to their respective birthdays and had his head spinning with dates. Luckily, Kaori saved him from the chaos as a merry chiming bell sounded from one of the buildings that made up the orphanage. "Children, Ms. Nimura is calling for you. What do you say to Mr. Tsuzuki for his time?"

"Thank you!" they caroused, excluding shy Jarod who still had part of his knuckle between his lips.

Tsuzuki smiled, waving. "You're welcome. Have fun!"

Giggling, they ran off, some shepherding the ones too young to remember where to go. They were heading back to the specialized nursery school that taught them the difference between healthy souls and unhealthy ones, in addition to their ABCs and numbers. It wouldn't be until primary school that they learned the difference between Meisters and Weapons, though many of the children would have figured out the most obvious: Meisters' scrapes and cuts healed slower.

"So, what did Vinny want to talk to me about?"

Her face tightened in concern and she waved a hand for him to follow. "It's not something I should say out here."

Kaori led him towards a well-maintained building, recently remodeled, and entered. The walls were painted green, instead of the unpainted light brown he remembered, and the floor had been carpeted. As usual, the double image was distracting, but he managed to push it off.

"He'll be in the office. Would you like some tea?"

"No thanks, Kaori." He was about sick of drinking it. "But I could really go for some juice, if you have any." Tsuzuki opened the door.

Vinny was waiting, sitting behind a small desk surrounded on all sides by filing cabinets. He waited until he shut the door. "Two of our children who recently entered the DWMA have gone missing. I filed a police report, and I told Lord Death, but since you're here I thought I ought to let you know, too."

"Who?"

"The Weapon, Adriana Lowell. Medium build with brown hair and black eyes?"

Tsuzuki nodded. "I remember her. She wanted to become a doctor."

"And, her Meister, Minase Hijiri. Slender with brown hair and green eyes? You remember him, right?"

"How could I forget?" The kid had idolized him since middle school and had dogged his every step whenever he caught sight of Tsuzuki. It had been quite the annoyance. He had been way too young and immature to be considered a viable Meister for Tsuzuki at the time, not that he had really wanted that clingy boy for a Meister. "Thanks for letting me know. I'll keep an eye and ear out in case I see anything suspicious."

"Thanks. You know how Lord Death gets when his students go missing." Vinny swiveled his chair and sipped from a cup of coffee that didn't look even lukewarm. Kaori walked in with a mug of tea for herself and another cup in her right.

"Yeah." He would worry. Without any kids of his own, Big D had practically adopted the two hundred or so that had been orphaned. Even becoming after Tsuzuki became a Dark Weapon, Lord Death still treated him with fondness and care. Tsuzuki thanked Kaori and drank the deliciously sweet apple juice from the cup she had handed him.

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" Kaori asked with a smile. "I have some freshly cooked brownies for dessert."

He choked on the remainder of the juice he had drained into his mouth and looked at his watch. He about died. "Secret's going to kill me! I'm sorry. I have to go. I'll have to get a rain check for those brownies next time, Kaori! Bye!"

He whirled out, leaving the both of them with a bemused expression on their faces. He couldn't blame them, since he had never turned down sweets before.

Sprinting all the way back to the temporary suite next to the hospital, Tsuzuki hoped Secret wouldn't be too angry at him.

Opening the door, he ran inside, threw some leftovers on a plate, and heated it in the microwave. He dropped a cup as he took it out of the cupboard, but it didn't shatter though it made a huge clattering sound. Setting it upright next to the sink, he grabbed another one from the cupboard and dropped a tea bag in it slipping it under the hot-water appliance and adding just enough water. Placing both on the tray with some chopsticks, he walked quickly to Secret's room.

Secret glared sourly in the bed, when he opened the door. "Where were you?"

"Sorry," Tsuzuki said as he put the tray over his legs. "I was visiting the Pair in charge of the orphanage just up the road."

"Do you have what the teacher assigned?"

"Um... He told me to get it later." He reeled, but Secret didn't look like he had any intention of yelling at him as he hungrily wolfed down the food.

Sitting down, Tsuzuki waited, while Secret attacked the food. It was nice to see he had an appetite for once.

His Meister flicked an annoyed eye over his plate, but his mouth was full so he didn't say anything.

"I'll get it after this okay? Tatsumi was snippier than usual."

Finished with the dishes on the tray, Secret quietly said, "I think it's asking too much for him to drop that on you suddenly."

Pausing mid-motion as he picked up the tray, Tsuzuki nodded. "I've never once passed a test since..."

Glancing at him, Secret didn't say anything when he could have told him to do his work or study. Remembering Ruka again, Tsuzuki carried it back to the kitchen.

When he went back to the room, Secret politely demanded, "Please take me to the bathroom, then the kitchen."

After pushing him to his destination, Tsuzuki leaned against the hallway wall, the bathroom door's frame to his left while Secret did his business.

He was honestly glad that Secret had thrived as each successive session with the Chief had filled in one chip after another on Secret's battered block of life. He didn't seem as closed-off to conversation or as eager to jump into action like he had been when they first met.

Hell just last week, Secret asked for help to make a sponge cake for the Chief. Tsuzuki had been a little jealous-okay, really jealous-that the Chief got a home-baked goodie from his Meister. His mouth had salivated as the cake had cooled, but Secret had kept a hawk's eye on it, smacking his hand if it even got close with the pencil he was using to do homework at the counter.

Having shaken his hand out in mock pain, Tsuzuki had pouted and asked what the Chief had done to deserve something so delicious. Secret had simply stated that he owed him, and no matter how Tsuzuki asked, Secret hadn't clarified what for.

Once Secret was done, Tsuzuki wheeled him to the kitchen and started on the dirty dishes.

Secret drew out a long sigh. "He taught me how to be a good friend."

"Huh? What?"

"Never mind."

"No, Secret." Tsuzuki sighed in exasperation. "What do you mean by that? Who's 'he'?"

After a long pause, which his Meister often did when he was about to reveal something about himself, he answered, "Dr. Konoe. That's why I made him the sponge cake."

Tsuzuki had wondered about that, why they were suddenly chafing less and less and how their interactions had grown more easy-going and reciprocal. "Oh." He washed the dishes and rinsed them, setting them to dry in the dish holder. The cup he'd dropped had suffered a chip around its lip. Hopefully a crack wouldn't spread from there.

"So..." His Meister's voice was tentative. "I am doing better?"

Unplugging the drain, Tsuzuki turned and dried off his hands. "Well, I think you're doing fine...? I mean, there's some room for improvement, but at least I don't feel like you're going to bite my head off when you get mad now."

"Thanks for the pep talk," the teen shot back sarcastically.

"What?" He drawled, a smile quirking at his lips as he leaned against the counter. "Isn't that what friends are for?"

"I wouldn't know," he muttered under his breath.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Secret looked away, embarrassed.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Tsuzuki held a finger on his own chest. "_I'm_ your first friend?" No wonder Secret hadn't understood the meaning of teamwork or the word comrade!

Ducking his head down, Secret's face went scarlet as his tone became long-suffering. "You don't have to rub it in."

"I'm not rubbing it in! It's just... hard to imagine that others would-"

"It's not. It creeps them out how I just 'know'. You're the weird one because you like that I can catch you in a lie."

"Hey, I think it's a cool soul ability." It bothered Tsuzuki that Secret had been given so much hell and distance for something he couldn't help. The teen's reaction to his voiced suspicions in the hospital made all the more sense, too. He had been terribly afraid of Tsuzuki's reaction as the heart monitor had sounded faster, creeping nearer to alarm levels. Then, Secret had jerked his hand away to physically put as much distance between them even though he so obviously had craved the contact, that intimate connection with another person. _Well, what do you expect? He said so himself that he was shunned by his village, _Tsuzuki thought sadly as his heart ached for him.

"What're you getting upset for all of a sudden? You're too soft-hearted," Secret mumbled, obviously having heard part of what he was thinking.

"I couldn't have done that. I've been rejected a lot, but I had friends I could count on when I needed to get away from the people who hated me." _And when I needed to be saved from myself._

"I had my training. When I'm doing my forms, the rest of the world doesn't matter."

Tsuzuki had figured out that Secret's personality had developed a thick-skinned demeanor to protect himself from the constant threat of attack without friends to back him. He also knew that arguing the point would just make Secret close himself off, so he changed the subject. "Your next check-up's tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. She's taking out the stitches early. I'll start physical therapy on my arm next week after that. It'll be in the afternoon, three times a week for about a month."

"Then active duty?"

"Probably."

His Meister's green eyes met Tsuzuki's, and Tsuzuki suppressed a shiver when he remembered how look-alike Secret and Hijiri were. "Did you want me to go with you?"

"Yes. Dr. Reeve will want to talk to you, like she always does."

"Okay." Tsuzuki turned back to the sink to rinse it out.

"Tsuzuki?"

"Hm?" He watched the soapsuds drain.

"Tatsumi should be in his office by now." The tone was carefully neutral.

Drying off his hands again, Tsuzuki looked at him to gauge his mood. "Where did you want to be? The couch?" He didn't seem particularly mad about not bringing the assignments back. The Chief had really cooled his hot temper off.

"Yes, please. I already have a book to read until you come back." Secret gestured towards the low table by the couch where it laid.

Tsuzuki nodded and swiftly placed him on the couch. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I thought something like this would happen, ever since I noticed Mr. Tatsumi's eye on you."

Looking puzzled, Tsuzuki tilted his head.

"He doesn't like how others treat you."

"He has a soft spot for me."

Secret blinked at him, went red, and then stammered, "Y-you've dated?"

"While we were a Pair. We split up when it didn't seem to be working out."

"No, he dumped you." Secret frowned.

_Ow, bad memories there_. "Yeah, he did. I was pretty messed up back then so... I needed a lot of attention."

"He cracked under the pressure."

"Yeah. After a really bad fight with a Kishin, that's when he said he'd found another Weapon and left."

Secret had 'that's awful' written all over his face, and then frowned in anger. "You were hospitalized."

"Please don't blame him. I was a different person back then."

"I won't leave you."

Tsuzuki's newly sprouted landscape of hope grew several inches and covered old scars with greenery, touched as he was by Secret's pronouncement. "Aw, thanks. That's sweet of you." His partner seemed to go mute whenever he was flustered, so Tsuzuki stated, "I should head over there, so you can get started on the assignment."

After Secret tilted his head forward in a tiny nod, Tsuzuki left.

As he stepped up the long staircase, he wondered how he was going to weasel his way out of an A on any of Tatsumi's exams.

Before long he was in the section of the DWMA solely used for teacher's offices. Cubicles spanned the room. Each sectioned-off area was designated for a different teacher. Tatsumi was copying something at the copier, his back to the door.

A wisp of blackness came up protectively out of his faint shadow on the floor, and Tatsumi turned sharply, his glasses flickering, but relaxed when he saw who it was. "Hello Tsuzuki."

"I'm here to get Secret's homework."

"Not until after we've talked." The taller man gathered up the papers from the machine and headed through the twisty corridor until he stopped by his sizable cubicle. "Please have a seat."

The Weapon did and his teacher did the same.

"What can I do to get you to complete your homework?"

"Get rid of the written parts."

Tatsumi hmphed as if that were a ridiculous idea.

"Hey, you asked." The Weapon shrugged. "Otherwise, I'm not touching it."

"Lord Death requires all students to be proficient in reading and writing, among other things. All the work I've assigned reflects this."

"Look, Tatsumi." Tsuzuki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Even when I turned it in, I would get zeroes because the other teachers couldn't read it. Why should I work so hard when I'll get a zero anyway?"

"It can't be that hard to read. Show me." Tatsumi pushed a pad of paper and a pen towards him. "Write anything you want."

Picking up the pen and uncapping it, Tsuzuki thought for a moment. There were key mnemonic phrases he could write from memory. So, he slowly wrote '_After ninety-nine Kishin, I'm really wishin', I could eat a Witch next time!' _

When he finished he pushed the pad back towards Tatsumi who picked it up and looked at it. He lifted his glasses and squinted. Then he frowned, looking concerned. "Is this your best handwriting?"

"I told you that's how I write."

"I see." Still looking as if taken off guard, he reached over and picked up the folder that Tsuzuki had handed to him earlier. "Here's today's homework. You can come again daily at the same time to drop of his homework and to get the new assignments. I won't require you to do the homework, until I ask for another chat with you."

"What's the catch?"

"I want your word that you will work on it with Secret."

"Alright! It's a deal." Tsuzuki's wide grin waned though, when Tatsumi gave him an unreadable expression. "What's with that look?"

"Oh, nothing." His ex-partner flashed him a smile. "I was only wishing I had been born wiser."

That was the kind of non-sequitor Tatsumi would always say cryptically when he didn't want to give his real reason. "Um, okay."

"Until tomorrow, Tsuzuki."

The Weapon waved and left, wondering what it was about his handwriting that had made Tatsumi look distant.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time:** Secret's caught a bug! Don't blame yourself, Tsuzuki!


	11. The Nightmare of Blackriver

**_Author's Notes: _**_Thank you **EggDropSoup** for reading it over and helping me name it. __As promised, some progression with Tsusoka. Hope you like. :3  
_

* * *

Two weeks since his stitches were removed, Secret was getting into the motion of things again, working out his schedule so he wouldn't try more strenuous things unless Tsuzuki was there.

Dr. Reeve had cleared him for independent movement in the wheelchair. However, his physical therapist, Karen, had warned him that pushing himself too hard would get his right arm wrapped up and immobile until each physical therapy session. Since he really didn't want that, he did his very best to follow their orders.

Besides that change in routine, Tsuzuki out of the blue had asked to work on the homework with him. Ever since, nightly Secret would read the assigned passages out loud—at Tsuzuki's insistence—and then they would discuss the information that was given. His Weapon knew so much, complementing what, apparently, little information the textbook gave that completing the assignments night after night became a breeze.

It seemed kind of suspicious that his Weapon hadn't passed a test since his first Meister's death. Maybe he had been so dependent on her to help study for them that he didn't know what to do? But it made no sense if his head was filled with all this information when he was asked. The only conclusion that Secret could come up with was that he flunked on purpose—but even that settled wrong with him. Tsuzuki was genuinely concerned about passing.

However, he didn't let that bother him when Tsuzuki left to go do whatever he did when he skipped class. Secret mostly enjoyed the solitude with reading, mental exercises, or quiet meditation. After his interactions with Tsuzuki, he was often left exhausted. Worse yet, Tsuzuki kept taking him by surprise, despite his soul ability.

Their friendship had progressed so well that sometimes Secret was a bit scared. He'd gotten used to the kindness and mutual respect that characterized their relationship... so much so that he'd blurted out that he'd stick with his Weapon no matter what. Maybe he shouldn't have said that, but Tsuzuki was so relieved to hear it... He wouldn't ever take it back. Still, with all their conversations Secret wasn't much closer to really understanding who Tsuzuki was even though a month had passed since they first met.

Jerking his head up at the knock on the door, Secret dropped the blanket and slid into his wheelchair, rolling himself carefully to the door. He opened the door after some logistical maneuvers. By then, whoever had come by was gone. A letter had fluttered to the ground. It read '_Kurosaki Hisoka_'.

Disquieted to see his real name in his native language, Secret put the brake down, bent over, and picked it up. He stared at it for a long moment. He saw a flicker of who wrote it after feeling the unmistakable trace of madness.

Tearing through the paper around the seal of the envelope, he pulled out the card with a deciduous tree filled with bright yellow, orange, and red leaves on it. Its background had many more trees of that type with the dirt ground littered with these leaves newly fallen.

He opened it. '_Come see me in Recovery Suite #119.'_

Tossing the envelope in the trash, he tucked the card beside him. Unbraking, he wheeled back until he could shut the door again. He glanced up at the clock on the wall. He still had three hours before Tsuzuki came back. Unhooking his jacket from the coat-tree, he slipped it on, checked for keys, and then left. His right arm burned a little from the extra effort it was doing but it wasn't bad like it became after a session with Karen.

He made his way over the bumpy pedestrian path, past the brick-walled apartments directly adjacent to the hospital, and down the concrete path leading to the recovery suite. A Meister nurse at the counter looked at him coolly, though she actually had quite a warm personality underneath the professional facade.

"Hello, I received a letter from #119." He pulled the bent card from beside him and showed her the scrawl inside of it.

"Oh! He'll be happy to have a visitor. He doesn't get to go out much ever since the doctor put him on the watch list." She came out from behind the counter. "This way."

There was a stretch of hallway which split into three directions. He followed her past the evenly spaced doors staggered on each side.

She led him to a door with the numerals 119 on it far in the corner of the suites. "I'll leave you to him. He's not too happy with me." She tapped parts of the door, and Secret felt something. "When you want to come back out, just buzz the intercom, okay?" She walked back down the hall after that, and Secret tentatively opened the door and wheeled himself in second-guessing himself. The door swung shut behind him.

Dr. Franken Stein glared coldly at him from his position in the bed. His hip-to-foot cast was hanging from a hook on the ceiling and his left arm was in a supported shoulder cast. "Look at us. How frail we are."

Secret shook his head. The doctor was deliberately sharing echoes of conversations with his nurses and doctors. "You're a doctor yourself. If you had stayed put, then you wouldn't have cracked your shoulder-blade and broken your ribs."

"You are quite the find, aren't you?"

He looked at the doctor not sure what he was getting at.

"It'd be a waste if you died..."

"You've said that before," Secret ground out. "When you and Spirit took me out of that hospital."

"Which is why I've decided to teach you how to protect yourself."

"Why now? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"There's no need to be angry, Cephy." Dr. Stein cupped his smirking face with his right hand, tapping a finger against his lip. "It appears that when you're terribly damaged, your soul doesn't stick out, much like a Normal's." The tapping stopped, and he slipped his hand off his face. "It was remarkable that such a supposedly dull soul survived such a trial." He turned the screw in his head and the smirk grew kinder. "Now, I assume your presence is an assent to my special workshop."

Secret scowled at him. Images of Stein perfecting a certain technique through hard practice flooded his mind. It had taken that crazed genius five years to perfect. Secret didn't know whether he should feel flattered by Stein's opinion of him or not. "Am I here to kill time for you?"

"You are."

"..." The young Meister had expected as much. "What do I need to do?"

"Synchronize with me."

"...We're Meisters."

"And haven't you been drilled before with the techniques for Team Synchro?"

With a disgusted noise, Secret reached his brakes.

"No. No need to come closer." Blank green eyes surveyed him behind those thick square glasses. "This distance should pose no difficulties for you."

"..." Secret made a face. He'd never tried to use his ability in that way before, but he decided to give it a shot anyway. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and mentally stretched towards Stein. He imagined he was holding Tsuzuki in sword form in his hand and then, "Synchro," he breathed out. For only a moment, they were linked up to react to one another's battle movements. Then it shattered, the veil of one splitting into two.

Amusement slipped its warm way through him. "More than I expected. This shouldn't take longer than I need to heal."

Secret held up a hand. "Look, I'd prefer if Tsuzuki didn't know where I was. We'll meet mornings before lunch."

The doctor smiled. "Whatever you like."

* * *

A few days later, after spending yet another hour training with Stein, Secret had returned home, so exhausted that he took a nap on the couch.

He woke up hot and disoriented. Sweat had chilled on his back, touching it over with phantom cold fingers on his skin. Feeling almost suffocated, he pulled the blanket down and noticed his arms were flush as well.

Thinking he heard a crash in the kitchen, he called out weakly, "Tsuzuki?"

No one was there.

He was suddenly slammed back into that trap of hair.

Gulping down air, he told himself that it was just a memory even while all his senses screamed that it was happening. The strands of sharp hair parted, and the silver man strolled towards him and stopped where the white clothes touched him.

"Don't you desire it, my pretty doll?" The words were whispered with the splayed fingers against his stomach. "This excites you."

Warm lips pressed to his cheek and moved when the towering Warlock spoke. "You want him, don't you?" The fingers slipped downward. "For your own entertainment."

Adrenaline surging, Secret jerked upright, freed from the pseudo-flashback. He remembered though, the words that _that man _had never uttered. Bile rushed to his mouth, and he tossed the blanket off going straight for the toilet. He lost breakfast. He guzzled water and threw that up too. With a noise, he dry heaved gripping the edge of porcelain. When it finally stopped, his head felt like a split melon, and the cold, hard floor caused him to curl up.

"Secret?"

He thought he was going to puke again when his groin twitched at the sound of his Weapon's voice. Secret forced himself up with his good arm. "I'm fine—"

Silently, Tsuzuki flushed the toilet cutting him off and then he wet a washcloth, kneeling next to him.

Secret shied from his touch when Tsuzuki came closer to wipe off his face. The cloth was offered to him instead. "Here."

Tears leaked from the corner of his eyes at Tsuzuki's tender concern as he took it and wiped his own face.

He heard the faucet turn on briefly, and when he pulled the cloth away Tsuzuki offered a cup of water.

He took it and drank too aware of Tsuzuki's watchful gaze. He didn't flinch this time when his Weapon's cool hand came up to rest itself against his forehead. "I think you have a fever."

Despite the water, Secret's tongue had dried up. All he could focus on was that caring hand as it moved to the side of his face and brushed the sweat-slicked short hairs back. It pushed the embedded cold away, but it also brought... His vision grew blurry as his mouth went sour again. Tsuzuki had no idea what affect his touch was having on him. Then his hand was gone. Secret swallowed thickly, not wanting to hurl again, and drank more water.

"Do you think you can move on your own?"

Secret's breath caught in his chest and he nodded. He weakly got to his knees but grew dizzy when he tried to stand. In his haste to the bathroom, he had left his wheelchair by the couch.

"Easy." Warm hands stopped his fall, and an arm wrapped around him for support, all while Secret wanted was to tear away from him. "I've got you."

His eyes were watery as he swallowed again. Everything was going fuzzy around him except for Tsuzuki who remained a solid, supporting presence. The next moment he came to, just as Tsuzuki laid him out on the bed and tucked the blanket up to his chin.

Twisted up inside, Secret wondered if that... Nausea rose until he stopped thinking of the Warlock. A damp, cool rag was placed on the topmost part of his face.

"Will you be okay while I make some calls for you?"

"yeah"

He took a clipped, chest-aching breath when Tsuzuki left. He suspected that his sessions with Dr. Stein had overdone it.

Maybe it was a good thing he got sick. He was supposed to go see Dr. Konoe that afternoon, and he hadn't felt like talking to him lately.

Even though Dr. Konoe had managed to make Secret feel safe at their biweekly meetings, Secret had barely uncovered his lesser fears. He often had been prodded into talking about himself and how he was getting along with Tsuzuki, but the topic hadn't gotten as deep as he expected.

Besides the frequent panic attacks that he never talked about, Secret's general anxiety of being attacked hadn't gone away either. He knew it was because he was a coward, unable to bring up the real reason behind his fears. Even thinking about uttering the Warlock's name into the room where he was beginning to feel the safest—other than by Tsuzuki's side—set his teeth on edge.

The psychologist had yet to mention or even allude to the Warlock. Apparently, the questionnaire really did count when he wrote that it was the only 'taboo' subject. But... Secret knew that he was going to have to talk about it sooner or later.

Slipping into a half-awake state, Secret's breathing sounded really loud to him. His face was hot again, like he was being smothered. He jerked upright when he thought he heard _that_ voice that turned his blood to ice, but there was nothing in the spinning room with him. He laid back down, but didn't put the now-warm washcloth back on his face.

His nightmares were getting stronger, which was why he still had to take strong sleeping pills. He was starting to remember them, in bits and pieces. Even now he didn't try to fall asleep without taking them first, even when his eyes were very heavy from fatigue. The pills did keep him asleep for four to five hours, until the adrenaline pulsed so thickly through his veins that his brain was forced to kickstart itself to wakefulness to escape the dreams. The bags under his eyes had grown deeper and took on a bruised appearance as he gained weight, underscoring exactly how little rest he was getting. It was probably why he had gotten sick.

And who could rest with the curse of a powerful Warlock threatening to consume every last shred of their soul? Secret took another clipped breath and shivered, wishing his Weapon would get back soon.

And as if thinking him summoned him, Tsuzuki was suddenly there.

"Secret, I'm going to take your temperature."

He opened his mouth, and the thermometer slid in.

"The Chief said he'll see you next time and hopes you feel better, and I got an extension on the homework assignment from Tatsumi..."

The thermometer beeped, and it was removed. "That's pretty high. Are you thirsty?"

"no"

"Do you think you can sleep?"

"no"

A hand settled on his. "Do you hurt?"

"a little in my chest... hard to breathe"

It was exhilarating when Tsuzuki pressed his head against his chest, listening to his breathing which caught again and again. But, it was mortifying to realize how unhappy he was when Tsuzuki pulled away extremely worried.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." Wrapping him up in a blanket, he picked him up effortlessly and took him to that place he so hated. Secret didn't really remember much other than the warm pressure holding him up on the trip over.

Luckily, Dr. Reeve was on duty, and he didn't have to wait long before he was laid out onto the examination table. He was in a feverish daze and was having trouble tracking. The cold stethoscope against his chest felt good as she asked him to breathe deeply several times.

His breath kept catching, painfully, though he didn't feel like coughing.

Stepping back, the doctor looked at him calmly. "You have walking pneumonia, Mr. Blackriver. If you had come in any later, you might have been hospitalized. For the next two weeks, you are on strict bed rest. No more physical therapy until that rattle in your chest is gone. Of course, you'll have medicine to take until it clears up."

The doctor was talking too fast. Secret just wanted to go home. It was too bright in here.

She clucked her tongue against her teeth. "I'll send Tsuzuki after I talk to him about your condition."

He blinked at her dumbly, and then realized, when she had already left, that he had spoken his thoughts out loud.

Before long Tsuzuki was back in his vision, though Secret couldn't understand what he was saying anymore. He was relieved to have that warm pressure against him again, but was soon disappointed when he was set in a wheelchair. The blanket Tsuzuki had wrapped around him was tucked around his lap gently. Sitting in that stupid contraption, he felt abandoned, even though he could sense Tsuzuki behind him pushing it.

Another pain joined the other in his chest. Disappointment.

_Why couldn't he have carried me back instead?_

Secret's consciousness slipped away before he could berate himself over that, but he was soon in a nightmare.

He was trapped in a place full of indistinct things. When he looked harder, they were just mirages that faded away. No matter how far he ran, no matter where he looked he would always be alone... That is, save for the madman who breathed heavily behind him when he wasn't goading him on or laughing at him. _"Run, little one. I am always right behind you... You belong to me and no one else."_

He jerked awake, panting.

"Shh, Secret." A strong hand rested on his shoulder and eased him back onto the bed.

"I need the med—" Secret was wracked with a sudden coughing fit.

The smell of faux strawberries hit his nose as a very small container filled with syrup was offered to him. His arms wouldn't lift up to take it, though his hands hovered over his legs. It was placed against his lips, and he drank it. He let his hands fall. Then after the other was lifted away, a small cup was pressed against them. Water poured into his mouth, and he sputtered in surprise at how cold it was. It was taken away. "You okay?"

He swallowed and turned his heavy head away, curling up on his left side. He was feeling groggy after taking the syrup. He hoped he'd be able to sleep more without...

_"Boy," the voice whispered against his ear as lips brushed his jaw, "I burned down that hated village of yours as a gift to you. There were no survivors just as I promised."_

_He struggled in the searing, hateful grip, paralysis magic holding him firm. He could barely breathe as hatred raged in his chest. Everyone was..._

_"Other than these two, of course. I couldn't very well let their deaths be so uneventful after making a nuisance of themselves letting you get away like that."_

_Two bright blue souls were brought in, and he choked as the tears streamed down his face. Mother and Father..._

_"How did you want them to die? Personally, I find the greatest irony to be the best revenge." The alabaster fingers snapped and a fiery Weapon, the newest servant of his father's, was brought in screaming and flailing. "Feed them to her."_

"NOO—!" He screamed out before bowling over into a coughing fit that sounded like he was barking._ It wasn't true. It was just a bad nightmare. Just a bad..._Tsuzuki was there, waiting.

When the coughing subsided, Secret was shaking like a leaf and curled up tight on his side. Warm hands pressed him to uncurl and lie back on the mound of pillows that had been arranged behind him. "Drink this..." Tsuzuki's gentle voice told him. He drank more of that syrup and then the cool water.

"No one's going to hurt you while I'm here." A soft, damp washcloth wiped the sweat off his face and neck, and then a dry hand rested on top of his head stroking it lightly.

_I want to believe that, but..._

"If you want to, then believe, Secret."

His eyes were all bleary as he blinked. He had spoken again.

"I can't..." He coughed wetly. "I can't."

The hand brushed over his face when he shut his eyes again. "I'll protect you, Secret. I swear it."

_I want to believe it, but I don't want to lose you to that monster..._

He dropped into a deep, drugged sleep under the stroking fingertips.

_To Be Continued..._

**Next time!** Dr. Konoe drops in to check on his client... Oh, my! Things are heating up!


	12. Growing Pains

_**Author's notes:** Thank you **EggDropSoup** for your kind support and thoughtful advice, and **DarkQrysLynn**for beta-ing my work. To all that enjoy this fanfiction, thank you for leaving a review._

_**Warning:** Angst, sexual imagery, and general creepiness._

* * *

The first week, it had been easy to stay in bed. He was sick as a dog with walking pneumonia especially when the medicine started breaking stuff up in his chest. The downside was that he wasn't very hungry either.

"I made broth."

He looked away, while Tsuzuki pulled a chair up to the bed.

"It's not too hot, and I watered it down a lot. Try some? Dr. Reeve said you needed to stay hydrated."

"Fine," his voice was a hoarse whisper.

With restrained happiness at his acquiescence, Tsuzuki lifted the first spoonful to his lips, and his Meister sipped it.

"Dr. Konoe wants to see you when you feel better."

With closed lips, Secret looked away again. "You told him."

"You have them every night. What am I supposed to do? Let you suffer through them?"

"Yes. You said so yourself that you can't do anything about it if I want to suffer."

Tsuzuki put the bowl down on the surviving stand and leaned forward. "Is this some punishment you think you deserve? Or are you playing with your life to prove you're not weak? Because either way _you_ need to stop this."

"Just leave me alone."

He snorted contemptuously at the suggestion. "I meant what I said. I won't abandon you. I promised to protect you, but I can't protect you from yourself. Besides, the way you're going, you'll leave me just like the others." He scoffed when Secret gave him confused look. "Oh, it won't be _your_ fault of course since you became ill and died of complications. No, it won't be _your_ fault when you weren't taking care of yourself."

"..."

"I have your full attention now, don't I?" Tsuzuki said harshly, purple eyes flashing.

His Meister's light green eyes flicked towards the bowl of broth. "Are you done lecturing me?"

"It depends." He lifted the bowl into his hands and balanced it on one hand.

"On what?" Another spoonful was shoved in his face, which he opened his mouth for without thinking.

"Get better." Secret downed another spoonful. "Talk to the Chief."

Half the broth was swimming in his stomach now, and he didn't want to take in any more. _Ugh, I'm weak._ He turned his face away. "And?"

"Stop calling yourself weak. Even if you don't say it out loud, I can tell when you're thinking it."

He glanced at him in surprise. "How did you...?"

"I know how you think. You've said it before, that you felt weak, and I've told you before, that you aren't."

Secret looked down at the lumpy shapes of his legs under the covers. His heart, no, his whole chest felt like it was swelling up with a faceless, happy emotion. Wasn't that weird to feel so happy at being scolded?

"Look, I admire your stubbornness, but enough's enough. We won't be able to beat that guy when you sabotage yourself like this."

Secret knew he had to trust him more. Tsuzuki had proved himself time and again that he wouldn't be scared off by anything, not even a troubled teen like him with a power-hungry Warlock after his soul, but... "I'm sorry."

"Secret." The large hand pressed itself over his balled-up fist on the blanket. "It's okay. I know it's hard to let yourself rest when you've spent so much time trying to survive on your own."

That feeling rose up again, stronger. Something like pride and neediness mixed with attachment. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he had no idea how to express it. He almost felt he shouldn't. Biting down on his tongue, he looked hesitantly at Tsuzuki, hoping he hadn't noticed.

An unreadable Tsuzuki smiled gently in response as he fluffed his pillows. "Get some rest. Lunch isn't for another couple of hours. Alright?"

"You're always thinking about food," Secret muttered as he let his eyes close, his cheeks rosy and his heart tight.

Rising, Tsuzuki left the room because he needed to calm himself down before returning to Secret's side. Flopping back onto the couch, he felt his face grow disturbingly hot. If he didn't know better, that look...

His Meister had given him such a look of longing and deep trust with a huge helping of fear that if he didn't know better he'd say Secret had developed a crush on him.

"Like that could happen, right?" Tsuzuki mused at the ceiling after taking a deep breath. He had to be mistaken because obviously Secret had dropped his guard and was just showing gratitude with his ever-lonely eyes.

_"I don't want to lose you to that monster..."_ The memory of his hoarse voice from the night before floated into Tsuzuki's head in justification of that yearning, scared expression.

_He'd said something like that before, hadn't he?_ Tsuzuki thought.

_"...now that he's found me, you aren't safe either..."_

_I get that he's still trying his damnedest to push me away even when he knows that I'm not the easiest to kill. And because of my invulnerability, I know he needs me to beat Muraki, so why does he do it?_

A shout brought him out his thoughts and he rushed back to the room to soothe Secret's thrashing. He'd only left him a few moments to clear his head, but his Meister had fallen asleep again. The nightmares were starting to have a stronger effect on him that was for sure.

Unseeing, fearful eyes looked back and forth, half-open to some danger Tsuzuki couldn't sense. "What is it, Secret? What do you see?"

"he... killed... them... because..." His eyes snapped close as he took a deep, shuddering breath. Tsuzuki laid his hand on the side of his face, and predictably Secret leaned against it.

"Because what?"

"I... ..." His Meister relaxed further and fell asleep against his hand.

_He blames himself that's why, _Tsuzuki thought sadly. He stayed put, cradling Secret's face even after he lost feeling in his hand.

His Meister didn't have another nightmare that day.

A few days later, since Secret had been making steady gains, his Weapon had called Dr. Konoe to see if he was free to just 'talk'. Unfortunately, the psychologist had about half-hour free today.

"We could go for a walk before the Chief gets here." Tsuzuki gestured to the contraption, folded up and leaning against the wall.

Secret made a face. "I'm fine. I hate that thing." He wasn't lying a bit when he said that. He'd rather stay cooped up inside than spend another moment in that wheelchair. He'd rather-his pulse raced at the thought of warm arms carrying him. He harshly patted his face with a hand, until he chased that thought out.

Besides, even if he had gone outside to relax, the 'chat' with Dr. Konoe would amp up his anxiety and ruin a good mood.

Wondering what was bothering Secret, Tsuzuki gave him a steady look. "I know Dr. Reeve said you absolutely had to take it easy because you could get a relapse and stay in bed for another two weeks if you aren't careful. But this is ridiculous. You need fresh air and sunlight—"

"No, I don't, and I don't want to miss any more school because I got sick again when I passed someone who had the sniffles."

Now if only he'd catch up on the massive amount of assignments he'd missed in his feverish delirium and could stop being so—

"Secret."

Flushing at the tone, he looked down. _How can he always tell?_

"Don't be so hard on yourself. She said your chest cleared up faster than she expected, you know?"

"You should follow your own advice. It's not like you could have stopped me from getting sick."

There was that little frown Tsuzuki always wore when he disagreed. "I shouldn't have gone out as much as I did. You were in a bad state to begin with."

"I doubt the results would have been different if you had stayed near my side." Secret swallowed his pride. "You said it yourself that I'm out to prove that I'm not weak."

"You're not weak."

Secret tried to keep the frown off his face, but didn't really succeed.

"You can't change my mind about that, Secret. I just wish I could convince you." Sighing when he had nothing more to say, his Weapon ran a hand through his hair and then glanced at the time. "He should be here soon."

Secret's nervousness multiplied, since he hadn't talked to the man in ten days. "The couch, please."

His Weapon went for the wheelchair.

"Don't worry about that. It's not that far away."

"That's true." Tsuzuki scooped him up with the blanket still on him and a wry smile on his face. "You just wanted to be carried, huh?"

"As long as I don't have to sit in that _thing_." Secret shot him a knowing look. "But I don't hear you complaining about it." He could feel that Tsuzuki liked carrying him for whatever baffling reason.

"A gentleman never complains," came the succinct, pleased response.

"You? Don't you mean a servant? Your manners practically scream 'I'm the butler. Boss me around!'"

There weren't very many strides to the couch before he was placed on it with a mock-bow. "Now, I shall make my lord some tea."

Secret spluttered at the ridiculous air Tsuzuki put on for him. Once he could breathe again, he gave him an arrogant frown. "If you are, be quick."

Grinning ear to ear because his Meister had played into the childish game, Tsuzuki winked. "Aye, aye, sir!"

Secret's eyelids fluttered at the pleasant emotions, but then he felt himself react to Tsuzuki's playfulness and glared down at the blankets. His face flushed as his chest constricted. Why was he reacting like _that_? Thankfully, it wasn't much of a reaction, so he chased off the dirty thoughts that tried to corner him and stared mindlessly at the fibers that made up the blanket.

Tsuzuki was his only friend and thinking something like that could only lead to bad things. He was startled by the clap of ceramic on stone as Tsuzuki straightened from his bent pose. Secret glanced at the cup, sitting on a coaster, with a metal flap hanging from the lip. A tea spoon sat next to it on a napkin for the ball-strainer of loose tea to sit on once his tea had reached the correct saturation level.

There was a knock on the door. In another moment, his Weapon was up and opening the door.

The psychologist smiled, "Hello, Tsuzuki. May I come in?"

Secret felt himself break out into a sweat as Tsuzuki warmly greeted him.

"Of course, Chief." The door was shut.

"Hello, Secret," the mellow voice called out to him.

"Hello," Secret managed calmly.

"Would you like some tea?" He heard his Weapon ask.

The old man was bemused. "I brought my own. Would there be any more of those delightful teacakes around?"

"Oh, those? In the cabinet I'm not allowed to open," Tsuzuki's voice slightly whined.

The cupboard of breads was opened, and a bag was pulled out. "I'm sure Secret wouldn't mind sharing one of these with you." Raising his voice slightly, Dr. Konoe turned towards him. "Right, Secret?"

"Help yourself." Facing towards the pastel blue wall, Secret sipped his tea to try to settle his nerves.

Tsuzuki let out a sound of glee and helpfully pulled out two plates and two forks by the sound of the dishes hitting the counter. Secret recalled Tsuzuki's jealous gaze when he had cooked them after Tsuzuki nagged him one too many times about taking a break from homework. Though he had offered to help, Secret had refused, instead relying on the mixing machine that came with the kitchen.

"Thank you, Tsuzuki. They look delicious, don't they?"

"Oh, yeah!" Came the muffled agreement.

Hearing them walk towards the combined living area, Secret looked to his right to see Dr. Konoe gesture towards a recliner. "May I?"

"Please do."

The plate and a thermos were placed on the small table abutting the plush chair. He heard the soft popping of old joints as he watched Dr. Konoe settle into the chair across from him.

Tsuzuki set his sugary tea down on the dark green coffee table and he sat down on the couch a cushion away from him. Slapping the beige kitchen towel onto his shoulder since he spilled things sometimes, he stuffed his face with a plate piled high with teacakes.

Glancing over at him, Secret frowned. "I thought you'd be leaving."

"Uh," Tsuzuki gulped several times to clear his mouth. "This is just a chat, you know? I like talking to him too."

Sitting up straighter, Secret fussed with the blankets on his legs. "..."

"Well, this is certainly a change of pace, isn't it?" The old man unscrewed the top to his thermos and poured himself some tea. "Is this okay with you, Secret?"

"Mm," he uttered in an uneasy affirmative.

"Now, since this is just a friendly chat, I was thinking we should keep this informal and casual, since you've been under a lot of stress."

"Hardly. I just got sick."

He could feel Tsuzuki's proverbial hackles raise at that. "I can't believe you can say that with a straight face when just last week you were in bed for five days in a row."

His face burned as he fiddled with the cup in his hands. "You don't have to rub it in."

Tsuzuki fumbled for an answer, but the Chief quietly intervened.

"Secret," the old man said gently. "Illness is the body's way of demanding rest to recuperate. There's nothing wrong with getting sick."

"Then why was I teased about it a lot when I was younger?"

"If it wasn't that, they would have found something else to say about you. That's how bullies are," his Weapon said frankly. "Didn't you feel that?"

Secret felt Dr. Konoe's interest pique at Tsuzuki's question. "I didn't want to," he muttered. Tsuzuki predictably was saddened by that.

"My hearing's not so good. Could you repeat that?" Dr. Konoe asked politely. Secret wasn't surprised since he hadn't really explained his Soul Ability on the application at all.

"I wanted to be a Normal," he said strongly. "The village I grew up in was small and the rest of the kids were all Normals. I didn't want to know that they hated me when they were playing nice." He rolled the cup between his hands. "I wouldn't be here hiding from... I would be a Normal living in the village—" He stopped suddenly biting his lip, remembering his fever-dream. Was his village even standing?

"Tsuzuki here could tell you all about that feeling. He had a long, hard road to get to self-acceptance."

Secret looked at his Weapon.

"The Chief's exaggerating. The road wasn't that long." Tsuzuki's mood dipped. "But I still get depressed, you know? I wish I could go back to those days when I wasn't hungry all the time." _And still had Ruka with me._ Fingers tracing along the curve of the empty plate in his lap, Tsuzuki continued, "But... I've come to accept that what's done is done. I know I wouldn't be happy if I had missed out on meeting you, Secret. You're a special kind of guy."

Blushing, Secret didn't know what to say to that, unused to such compliments. "Ah, no. I'm not anything special."

Chuckling, Tsuzuki shook his head. "And too modest. It's been eleven years since I had a Meister who didn't care that I have a corrupted soul, and the only one who could match their soul waves to me to create a resonance without any effort on my part."

"Oh? Does it have to do with your Soul Ability, Secret?" The old man butted in smoothly, reminding Secret that he was there.

"...Probably," he replied to him, but directed the rest to Tsuzuki, "but you never did tell me how we survived against... _him._"

" 'Probably'?... Hm. Who's him?" Dr. Konoe asked innocently.

Not responding, Secret sipped his cooling tea. Like hell he was going to say that man's name.

"Stop beating around the bush, Secret. It's because of your Soul Ability that you can do that. And Chief, he's referring to our last case when we almost didn't make it against a Class A Warlock, named Muraki Kazutaka," Tsuzuki responded darkly for him, ever the helpful one.

That name sent an unpleasant tingle down his spine as a precursor. No matter how Secret carefully tried to set the cup down it clattered before it fell over and spilled.

"oh!" Tsuzuki dropped the towel from his shoulder onto the quickly spreading puddle before it had a chance to slosh over the side of the table. Then his attention was back on Secret, but he was beaten to the question.

"Are you alright, Secret?" The old man sounded concerned.

"Fine," he gasped out tremulously, his fingers had gone icy as they tightened their grip on the blanket. He hoped he didn't start to suddenly hyperventilate in front of them. "T-toilet." He clamped down on his teeth to keep them from chattering and brought the heavy blanket around his shoulders as he stood.

"Secret..." Tsuzuki radiated concern and reached out to provide a comforting touch, but Secret pulled away, though it hurt to do it. He wanted that comforting touch more than anything, but his groin twitched. That was all it took to set him off again.

He crouched low and hugged his knees, panting as the panic attack hit. He was embarrassing the hell out of himself, and he couldn't seem to stand up again. "I-i-it'll go" he gasped out through chattering, clenched teeth, " 'w-way in-ha.. bi-it."

Those ghost fingers were trailing over his skin. Both Tsuzuki and Dr. Konoe were standing next to him, trying to talk him down from the high ledge of panic. Their words were lost in the roaring sound inside his head. As goosebumps raced like wildfire all over, he pulled the blanket over his head and he shivered violently. A sudden lance of pain tore through his chest. His fist couldn't quiet all of it.

Tsuzuki was the first to touch him, his back, but Secret jerked away from the affectionate touch. That act of kindness had amplified the unpleasantness. His strong feelings of worry caused Secret to plant himself against the ground in a fetal position.

"Secret. Focus on my voice," Dr. Konoe's voice somehow commanded over the sound of the roar in his head. "You need to calm down."

"C-c-c-n't-t." _He_ wasn't here, but he heard _him_ and those sweet-sounding lies. The pain started inching down his stomach, down, down, down, down.

Secret tried to calm himself. He really did, but every time he took a breath it was going down the wrong pipe nauseatingly, and couldn't they sense _him_ right behind him?

Konoe's hand settled itself on his shoulder tightly, and, though he tried to shove it off at first, Secret's thoughts screeched to a halt. He found it easier to catch his breath. It was like he had suddenly been dumped from raging rapids to a peaceful flowing river.

Memories of another blond-haired youth flooded into his mind from Dr. Konoe's touch, and the burning determination in eerily familiar green eyes as the teen stood up gripping twin Wea—

The hand retreated. "I'm sorry. I had no idea you had panic attacks." The very clear voice was stern when it turned on his Weapon. "You knew about these, Tsuzuki?"

"I didn't know they were triggered like that with just a mention of-uh... It only seemed to happen when people were _too_ close to him." Innuendo laced that single, stressed word. He felt Tsuzuki's agitation at his stubborn-as-hell, secretive nature. _You should have said something to us, Secret._

"You should have said something to me," came the scolding, baritone reply from the psychologist, and Tsuzuki winced.

"Why is it gone...?" Secret said groggily in confusion, pulling the blanket off enough so he could peek up at the aged face.

"It's part of his Soul Ability, Secret. It's how he was able to keep me calm when... I was trying to adjust."

Secret pushed himself up slowly, clutching the blanket to him and stared at the hems of Dr. Konoe's navy slacks.

"It's true. I can either amplify a certain emotion being felt or extinguish it." The black dress shoes stepped back to return Dr. Konoe to his seat. "Now, Secret, I've respected your privacy about your own ability. Perhaps you can share it with me now?"

Taking a deep breath, Secret looked away, murmuring, "You trained my father, didn't you?"

Dr. Konoe's eyes fluttered in surprise, and Tsuzuki seemed surprised as well. "You're a mindreader?" he asked.

Flushing, Secret looked down at his mound of blankets. "Kind of. It's random. I pick up on feelings better, but I can always tell what type of soul I'm looking at."

"Ahh, so that's how you could match up your soul wavelength so easily to Tsuzuki's chaotic one. Usually a Pair must align their breathing, thoughts, and feelings before they can resonate."

"Isn't that what Synchro is?"

"That's only a very short-term Soul Resonance. Practice you might say..." Settling back into the recliner, Dr. Konoe steepled his hands together. "With an ability like yours, it'd cause all sorts of difficulties in your interactions. It's little wonder that you wanted to be a Normal."

Secret nodded.

"But then, it comes with its own advantages too, doesn't it? You never have to worry about a Kishin soul sneaking up on you You can always tell someone's true nature."

"No, but..." He glanced towards Tsuzuki and then wiggled. "I learned that a Kishin's fear is overpowering and can disrupt my thoughts."

"Hmm." The old man took the last bite of teacake off his plate and took a long sip from his thermos.

"Don't sweat it, Secret. We got through it okay."

"But that's how I messed up my arm in the first place. If it wasn't for that, we could have beaten the Kishin sooner and left before..."

Tsuzuki sighed. "Look, I should have reacted faster. Beginners usually freeze up on their first Mission. You were doing so well that I misjudged the situation."

"You mean, you overestimated my ability."

"Yes," Tsuzuki made an irritated noise, "I forgot you were a Beginner when you took control of the situation so calmly. I'm sorry. You wouldn't have been so hurt if I hadn't let my excitement get the best of me."

The old man cleared his throat. "Let's take this conversation down a notch, hmm? We all make mistakes." He sipped again from his thermos and turned his head towards the young Meister. "Secret, you've got to let people express themselves on their own. Correcting them typically makes people bull-headed. Tsuzuki is better than most in letting go of his pride to admit his mistakes." Dr. Konoe threaded his fingers together leaning against them with his elbows on his thighs. "Now then, Secret, I suspect that if you do a complete Soul Resonance with Tsuzuki that should take care of the fright. He's known for being fearless in a fight."

"Yeah, fights don't scare me," Tsuzuki grinned in anticipation.

"But..." Secret started.

"Are you worried he'll eat your soul?"

"No! It's not that at all. I just thought that... it wasn't possible?"

Tsuzuki laughed. "Where did you learn that, Secret?"

"Why do you ask?" Secret retorted hotly.

"With a strong will like yours, I'll amplify your soul waves, no problem. Take Tatsumi. He did a ton of complete Soul Resonances with me, and he's turned out fine."

"Yes, Professor Tatsumi is still a pompous prick with a stick up his ass," Dr. Konoe agreed promptly.

Secret snorted in surprise and cleared his throat looking down, while Tsuzuki laughed heartily. "That's true. Tatsumi always did take things too seriously."

Looking at his watch, Dr. Konoe stood with an apologetic smile. "Well, gentlemen, I have an appointment soon. Secret, I'll see you next week, hm?" Slowly he stood up and picked up his thermos to recap it. "Maybe we can later share stories about the Hero of Crest Falls?"

"Maybe..."

Dr. Konoe smiled. "I've enjoyed this conversation. It is perhaps the most enlightening I've had with you yet."

At the neutral look on Secret's face, the psychologist's smile never dimmed. "You know, group therapy might work better for you, and you might find more people with which you can relate."

Secret looked away without answering. He didn't like the sound of 'group therapy', but it'd be nice to have more friends...

"Thanks for coming, Chief." Tsuzuki led him to the door and opened it for him. Secret twisted on the couch to watch him go.

"It was my pleasure, Tsuzuki. Maybe you could drop in some time too?"

"Sure."

"Oh, and one more thing, Secret." The psychologist turned to see if he had his attention. "Be sure you bring some teacakes, will you?"

Secret rolled his eyes. "Buy your own, old man."

With a chuckle, Dr. Konoe bid them farewell, and they responded in kind.

And then the kindly man was gone, and Secret slumped against the couch. He was exhausted.

"That wore you out that much?"

He stiffened. Secret had gotten into the bad habit of relaxing after the object of his tension left the room. "Go away."

"That would be a 'yes', huh." Sitting next to him, Tsuzuki did the exact opposite of his command. "Go ahead and take a nap. I'll be here when you wake up."

Yeah, he was tired. He couldn't even muster a ticked off response. He laid an arm over his eyes as Tsuzuki pulled the blanket up to his chin.

At first, the dream started off badly as he watched the two souls of his parents get eaten by that Weapon against her will again... but it dissolved into one where he was pressed against Tsuzuki, kissing him. His fingers were frantically trying to touch the tanned skin underneath those clothes as their kiss broke apart, and Tsuzuki's lips were hot against his throat.

His eyes shot open with his face planted in Tsuzuki's warm, sweaty hand. His 'reaction' pointedly made itself known under the blanket. Secret made a noise as he sat up and rearranged the blankets to hide it, thinking Tsuzuki would wake up when he moved.

Undisturbed, Tsuzuki slept on, drooling on the couch cushion. Desire surged inside of him. Secret's hand itched to pin him down and bite lightly... Secret shook his head, dispelling the urges and leaning away in disgust, especially when his pants suddenly became tighter. Distressed, he shot off the couch, dropping the blanket, and waddle-ran down the hall.

"Secret?" A groggy voice questioned after him as he unzipped his pants to get some relief. His knees sagged under him as he slammed the door behind him and panted. Sliding to the floor, he coughed heavily against a hand. The image of forcing a demanding kiss onto his Weapon's pert mouth while his unoccupied hand slid against Tsuzuki's stomach...

His body was wracked with coughing. He had been infected by that sicko's perversion. That's all there was to it. That had to be it... He tugged at his hair trying to make it go away, but it only seemed to make it worse.

There was a knock on the door that vibrated against his back.

"Secret. Are you okay?" Tsuzuki's relaxed voice slid into his ears, and caught off-guard Secret shuddered with a soft moan. When his vision cleared, he swept a hand under his shirt and felt the sticky mess he'd made on his stomach.

As he looked at his fingers, the door shoved against him, but didn't open all the way with Secret leaning against it. He looked up to see Tsuzuki's head barely poking in. "Are you-" Before his Weapon could finish his statement, he blinked owlishly at Secret and then pulled out of the doorway, "_Oh._ Sorry."

Sensing that it was his appearance, Secret brought his hand to his shirt to wipe it off.

"I'll start the bath for you."

The split-second decision to give him privacy as soon as possible without even a perverted thought about what the two of them could do together proved to Secret that what he was feeling was wrong and one-sided. Even worse, Secret knew those horrible feelings weren't going to go away.

He stood slowly and then tucked himself back into his pants. Going shakily to his wardrobe, he pulled out a clean set of clothes and walked back to his door. He heard the water running. Opening the door, he saw the wheelchair waiting for him, and his knees went weak with fatigue. He sat down, diligently rolling himself the very short length to the bathroom.

Tsuzuki was bent over the bathtub, unknowingly showing just how well his slacks clung to his backside. Secret sucked in a breath and looked away, digging his fingers into the folded clothes.

The water cut off, and Tsuzuki grinned and bent to take the clothes from him, but Secret wouldn't let him.

Scratching the back of his head, Tsuzuki shrugged. "You know, it's not the end of the world. So what if I interrupted you? I'm sure parents the world over has walked in on worse."

When Secret remained motionless and flushed, Tsuzuki walked by him. "I'll have lunch ready by the time you're done, okay?" Then with a wink, Tsuzuki was gone, leaving Secret to catch his breath. The tingle of panic worming its way up his spine because he knew what his reaction to Tsuzuki meant. He wanted to possess him, like Muraki had possessed him, but the thought of it made him sick. He had to push it away and pretend it didn't happen.

_If he finds out..._ He shook his head at his worry. _I can do this! I've got to... There's no one else. _

He undressed, wiping the drying white goop off of him with his dirty shirt. His eyes were drawn to the newest scar just below his wrist that circled all the way around even though it was not very noticeable. Crouching in the bathtub, he slowly sat down into the warm water. The porcelain chilled his thighs-

_"Everything you touch will spoil, Boy, because you and I share lineage as descendants of Witches. Had you simply accepted my offer, you wouldn't be where you are now."_

_"You're insane," he bit out. The standing porcelain table against his bare backside was cold where he was tied down. His toes felt numb. _

_"You will be too in a few months, Boy."_

_/Until then, you've fast become the favorite in my collection. You've got such fire in you. It's really a shame that your body is too delicate./ _

_The pale fingers snapped. A Kishin dressed in a nurse's outfit and wearing a face mask pushed a cart with a metal tray on it with metal things in it. Sharp metal things. _

_Beyond the cold, he attempted to quell the sudden panic at the sight of that tray with its body-carving tools._

_A scalpel was lifted from the tray and inspected before being balanced easily between careful fingers. The healing cuts in his arms and chest throbbed at the sight of the surgeon's knife._

_"Where next, Boy? Shall I slice over my previous incisions or start somewhere that's been untouched?"_

_Secret knew that whatever his 'choice' the mad doctor would cut wherever the hell he wanted. "We aren't playthings, you bastard!" _

_"Oh god, someone help me!" came a loud scream from the dark hallway which set off another voice, screaming for help. They were both silenced shortly after. _

_"Correct, Boy. I do not play with my specimens. I assure you everything I do is meticulously recorded. Now, do I need to make the decision for you?"_

_The man in white stepped forward, his shadow falling over his cold, naked form._

_/Your truest nature will be on display. The stigmata of a vengeful Witch forever drawn onto your once-virgin skin. Nobody will ever want to get close to you. You'll forever be mine./_

_The fear in his gut thickened the closer the man came, and his eyes flicked around trying to find some method of escape. They settled to the right. His skin prickled with goosebumps at the sight of a bucket of icy cold saltwater sitting on another pushcart. The water made any incisions burn like crazy, while the rest of him froze. If he ever got out alive, he didn't think he'd ever be warm again._

_He hoped a horrific accident would miraculously befall the twisted doctor while the casually twirled scalpel glinted in the fluorescent light. The smell of antiseptic was thick. He was deathly silent as the panic ebbed into numbness, and his eyes finally glared the doctor down. His stomach flipped as the warm body leaned in to inspect the scabbing cuts with pressing fingers. His knees began to quake, and he turned his head away again. _

_"Now be a good boy, Hisoka, and scream for me-"_

"Secret, Secret! Shh, it's okay, it's okay." Tsuzuki's soothing voice echoed above him, his hands rubbing over the terry cotton cloths that covered him. "It's just you and me here. Just you and me. It's okay."

He felt so relieved that he thought his chest might burst. Shivering uncontrollably, he was curled up in the porcelain tub with some fluffy towels piled on top of him. The repeated phrases washed over him. It took him a moment to realize there was no water in the tub.

Something snapped inside of him as that disgusting feeling coiled inside of him again. Secret stuffed the towels against his mouth and sobbed into the towels. His whole body tremored as the sobs turned into heavy coughing. He sucked in breath after breath between coughing fits and shook as he clung to the towels.

Tsuzuki very calmly stayed with him, hands moving back and forth. "You were screaming..."

"Get _him_ out."

The hands stilled. "Secret... what—"

"_He's_ all over me. _He's_ inside of me. _He's_ everywhere. I can't sleep or do anything without being reminded of _him_," his voice was rising, hoarsely.

"Secret..." Tentatively, Tsuzuki laid a palm against his exposed forehead. Secret reached up and held his hand against it, closing his eyes.

Secret felt him, a dark blotch of unending hunger. Tsuzuki's soul was a flaming ball of purple fire, sparking blue, not nearly as corrupted as the man thought. So, Secret allowed his soul to make the slightest contact with his. Sitting up slowly, Secret kept the hand against his face and then took Tsuzuki's other hand resting on the edge of the tub and brought it up to cup his face. The sense of two bodies and the same soul was strange, they agreed.

Secret's fear and panic of the Warlock faded into Tsuzuki's famished outlook. Locked into the resonance, together, the fear and panic, the hunger, was not so bad. A deeper understanding of the other came as well.

Secret understood Tsuzuki's pain from killing Ruka and countless other innocents when he lost control years before. How his fear of losing control again made him want a Meister who was willing to one day kill him should that ever happen. Despite the enlightening connection, Secret could no longer hold it, and they became separate beings.

All this time he'd thought that touching a Dark Weapon's soul would make his panic worse, but... at that briefest touch, Tsuzuki's warm feelings ate away at the ice that had settled in Secret's stomach.

At the moment, Tsuzuki felt very bewildered and humbled by the shared experience and allowed the continued confiscation of his hands even though the resonance had passed.

"I can't..." Secret began, but when he remained silent Tsuzuki nodded.

"I understand now. I'll stay by your side, all day, every day."

Secret pulled the rough hands up to cover his face completely, the fingers blocking his eyesight while the faint smell of soap tickled his nose. "I can't ask you to do that." Though he wanted Tsuzuki's company so badly, Secret shook his head blindly as he felt the tears burn his eyes.

Drawing his own fingers apart, Tsuzuki leaned in close. He smelled like teacakes. "I know why you feel that way, but you don't have to worry."

He tried to pull away but the fingers cradled his face, so he stopped. Miserably, he said, "You can't know... I'm really sick inside of my head."

Tsuzuki gave him a curious look. "I think you're confusing where you think you're feeling." He took a hand away from Secret's limp fingers and pressed it against his chest. "It's here, isn't it?"

"..." Secret's face burned, and he looked down at the skin between the fingers of the remaining hand barring his face.

Pulling Secret's chin up, purple eyes looked clearly into his. "It's not a bad thing, what you're feeling. It means that _he _can't touch that part of you."

He couldn't even muster the courage to say, _I want to kiss you_. He swallowed it down. His heart didn't believe him. No matter what his Weapon said, he refused to believe he wasn't a sick pervert.

Fingers uncovered his face. "You're my Meister. Absolutely nothing will change that. I mean it."

It was said with burning conviction, and the passion behind it seeped into his skin. He finally believed that Tsuzuki believed himself at least. With his heart in his throat, Secret looked away.

"Now, lunch is done, but you still need a bath don't you?" Tsuzuki stated in an obnoxiously obvious manner.

"Right."

"I'll scrub your back then!" Tsuzuki's grin was suddenly infectious, even when Secret didn't look at it.

"I can do that on my own. If you're going to stay, stay over there." Unbundling himself from the towels, Secret held one against himself in modesty and closed the shower curtain with a fluid tug.

Tsuzuki watched as he tossed the towels over the edge of the bathtub and brought the curtain on the inside of the tub to keep the water from dripping out.

Taking a clipped breath followed by a jarring cough, Secret wondered if he should really be doing this in his condition. He leaned forward with a hand against the wall and turned the water on. Figuring that if he passed out again that Tsuzuki would take care of him, Secret adjusted the temperature until it was nearly scalding hot and pulled the hook for it to spray down.

He quickly scrubbed himself down and when he finished he shut the water off, pink from the heat. Secret went to grab a towel off the ground, but found they had been moved.

"Here, I'll be in the hallway." A clean, folded one was pushed through the slightest opening of the curtain. Taking it, Secret dried off and wrapped himself with it. He pulled the curtain aside and stepped out of the tub. He slipped on the fresh, folded clothes. As he tugged the long-sleeved shirt down over his bare chest, he felt Tsuzuki's eyes on his back. "Is something wrong?" He asked as he turned to meet the gaze.

"No," Tsuzuki pushed the wheelchair beside him. "I was wondering how the cold affected your scars."

"They ache. I don't move as well in the cold either."

"I'll remember that."

The lunch they shared was surprisingly delicious.

Their conversation stayed safe and boring, while Secret's previous anxiety ebbed away in Tsuzuki's presence.

The Resonance had changed something between them, but it didn't feel wrong at all.

Secret cupped his tea, hiding a smile behind the mug. He could get used to this.

_To be continued..._

**Next time:** Hijiri's been sighted? Secret-Tsuzuki Pair, check it out!


	13. Unrequited Love

_**Author's notes:** As always a BIG thank you **EggDropSoup** for your ever helpful comments and **DarkQrysLynn **for beta-ing my work. To all that enjoy this fanfiction, thank you for your continued support!  
_

_**Warning:** Angst, sexual imagery, and general creepiness._

* * *

Another week and a half went by without much happening for Tsuzuki.

It was a week of celebration for Secret, however. Dr. Konoe told Tsuzuki that Secret had a dream journal to keep now, warning him not to disturb the youth right after he woke up so he could write in private. Of course, Tsuzuki couldn't stay away when Secret woke up screaming, but otherwise he left him alone.

Then, Karen and Dr. Reeve had only good things to say about his Meister's progress in their following checkups. His bone density was good. When his blood-work came in, it was very good. It was Dr. Reeve who told him that as long as Secret felt up to it, he would be able to go back to school the following week and go on the lowest-ranked missions.

When they had left the office together, Tsuzuki grinned. "See? All your hard work's paid off!"

"Then we should dust and clean the apartment before we move back."

Tsuzuki's smile broadened. "That's already taken care of. I cleaned it last month before you got sick, but after that Wakaba maintained it. It's ready for us."

"I owe her then."

"She has a sweet tooth, so any of your homemade snacks should work okay."

All that was left to do then was to pack up their stuff and move it to their apartment on the third floor of the dormitory. It took three trips of hauling to get it all inside. After their labor was done, Secret cooked a large meal for them, and they ate.

Afterwards, an exhausted Secret went to bed in the pastel blue room with Tsuzuki sitting in the chair nearby, an open, old book in his lap as he listened to the whisper of Ruka's voice regale the classic fairy tale.

The following day, Tsuzuki hung back at the counter as Secret made the snacks for Wakaba that Tsuzuki had said she would like.

After they had cooled and Secret packed them up, his Meister turned towards him. "Where does Wakaba live?"

That question startled Tsuzuki, though it shouldn't have. "I'll show you. Is it ready?"

Secret nodded, so they went out.

It took about five minutes to get to her apartment from their's, and Secret hesitantly knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Wakaba met Tsuzuki's gaze and smiled. "Hey! Is this your Meister?" She looked again at Secret who gazed back at eye level with her.

Tsuzuki nudged Secret slightly since he stared for a few seconds more. He got that Wakaba was pretty with her long, wavy brown hair and friendly light brown eyes, but he hadn't expected Secret to be struck speechless. Tsuzuki was just glad that that dog of a Weapon hadn't opened the door.

"I'm Secret Blackriver. I wanted to thank you for taking care of our place, while I was sick." He offered her the package of goodies, and she graciously accepted the gift. That was when that guard dog appeared, hovering over her shoulder.

The two Weapons glared each other down.

"Thank you, Secret. I'm glad I could help," Wakaba mentioned through the sudden tension that had descended on them.

His Meister nodded. "It was nice meeting you."

"And it was great finally seeing Tsuzuki's new Meister."

"What'd I say about you showing your face around here?"

Calmly, Secret put a hand on Tsuzuki's arm. "Let's go."

At the low growl, Tsuzuki went back to glaring at the other Weapon.

"Kid, I'd get the hell away from him if I were you. You'll lose your soul—" The door slammed shut on his rant, and Wakaba's yelling was muffled behind the door.

"That's Terazuma, Wakaba's Weapon." Chuckling, Tsuzuki dropped his gaze off the door, pulling away from the hand on his arm. Secret followed him down the hall and up the stairs to their apartment.

Entering the foyer, they shed their shoes and shuffled in. When silence had fallen so completely over them, Secret asked, "Are you free this weekend?"

Tsuzuki blinked out of his thoughts. "Yes, I am."

"Could we practice some drills before we go back to school?"

"Sure." Tsuzuki smiled. Secret pulled out his textbook to finish up the last of his homework that Tsuzuki had brought him that morning.

* * *

On the morning of Sunday, after rummaging through Ruka's belongings Tsuzuki offered a sheathed blade horizontally towards his Meister. "Here. Since you're still technically recovering, I thought this would be better for you."

Secret took it reverentially.

He watched the teen pull it carefully out of its scabbard and the dark metal gleamed in the light. "It's in beautiful condition."

"It hasn't had much use, and it's sharp to make the practice more authentic."

"I understand." Secret slid the dummy sword, identical to Tsuzuki's sword form's specifications, back into its sheath with a chk. They headed out of their apartment and then down the road. "Any ideas on where I should practice?"

"The courtyard by the hospital. It's well-shaded and away from pedestrian traffic. We visited it before if you remember?"

Trekking across Death City to the sole hospital, Secret seemed to be focusing inwardly, so Tsuzuki didn't bother him. Finally, he stepped into the shade while his Meister walked into the more open area.

Tsuzuki watched with sharp eyes to see what capable skills his Meister had as the son of the Hero of Crest Falls. He'd heard the stories that had left the elder Kurosaki crippled, so it was pretty amazing to him to have the chance to observe firsthand the skills displayed from a Meister that hailed from such an old family.

After pacing a bit, his Meister seemed to find the perfect spot, flowing into a well-practiced static form. Secret took a soft breath and breathed out slowly, his left hand wrapped around the hilt and the other around the sheath. With careful grace, since his muscles weren't warmed up, he turned pulling the sword from its case and continued the momentum with the sharp blade striking outward almost casually.

He shifted and swung the sword down, while his nerve-damaged arm lifted the sheath like a deflecting shield. His form flowed easily into another taking out another invisible target after slowly sidestepping an attack. All the while his breathing was disciplined, not withheld like an amateur. There was a confidence and surety as he turned his non-dominant hand and sliced sideways as the right arm compensated the weight by swinging the sheath behind him. It was lethal and efficient.

However, in the field, his Meister hadn't shown this measure of ability. Tsuzuki knew now that the Kishin's fear had short-circuited his thoughts, and he'd had to stubbornly fight through it and attack aggressively. Tsuzuki anticipated when he would finally be in battle within those capable hands once again. Tatsumi had been no swordsmen like the others...

"Hey." Sweat-slicked, Secret swung the sheathed dummy Weapon against his left shoulder.

"Mmm?" Tsuzuki looked to him and the ever-so-slight twitch in the right hand relaxing at Secret's side.

"I'm done." Without another word, a nonplussed Secret turned back in the direction of their apartment.

With a grin, Tsuzuki followed. "Is your right arm okay?"

"I'll skip the exercises today."

Nodding, Tsuzuki understood that meant his Meister had overdone it a little. Secret's right hand spasmed by his side.

Later, after a bath, Secret cooked, and after they ate Tsuzuki washed dishes. Secret napped next to him on the couch, while Tsuzuki listened to music and flipped through a travel book of famous towns.

Then when Secret woke from his nap, Tsuzuki pulled a present wrapped with shiny blue paper and tied with light blue bows out from the other side of the couch.

Secret stared at it stunned for a moment. "This is...?"

"It's for you. You can open it."

Gentle fingers slowly pulled it out of his grasp. "How did you know it was my birthday?"

"It's in the public database, so it wasn't hard to look up. It wouldn't be right to miss my Meister's seventeenth birthday, now would it?"

As Tsuzuki watched him, Secret carefully opened it and pulled out a brand-new blue shoulder backpack.

"Thanks. I needed a new one." Secret paused, then said blandly, "And it's my favorite color."

"It's very durable too. Water-resistant and fire-resistant. Hopefully we don't lose it like the last one."

Opening it up, Secret blinked and slowly pulled out the blue stuffed animal hidden within. "What is this?"

"What, you've never seen a teddy bear before?"

"It's..." Secret looked down bashfully and held the soft bear in his hands. "What do you do with it?"

"Hold it."

He pulled it into his arms and hugged it with a curious expression. "Like this?"

_Geez, he acts like he's never had one before._ "Yeah, just like that."

His Meister held it for a few more moments, squeezed under his arms before he spoke again."Thank you. For the bag and the teddy bear." He carefully stuck it back into his bag and zipped it up. He scooted closer to Tsuzuki and looked up at him expectantly. Tsuzuki adjusted himself accordingly, giving Secret more room.

"So when's your birthday?"

"Almost four months from now. You've got plenty of time to pick something out if you want to."

Secret looked down, a hand on the blue bag. "Tsuzuki?"

"Hm?" He looked to the not-so-diminutive Meister. He'd started a growth spurt and his shoulders were broadening.

"I like you a lot." Secret seemed to squirm as he said the next words with a crack of anxiety. "Will you go out with me...?"

The tender attachment and deep need to be loved Tsuzuki had picked up from Secret during their resonance then… really was an innocent crush.

A wave of heat prickled on the nape of his neck. "Well, uh…"

Secret's head ducked lower. "It's fine. You don't have to force yourself to say yes." Then before Tsuzuki could react, he practically raced to his bedroom bag in hand and shut the door softly.

Knowing he'd have to check on Secret soon because of the panic attacks, Tsuzuki left him alone. Feeling conflicted, Tsuzuki ruminated over Secret's sudden confession. He couldn't with good conscience tell Secret yes. Any relationship between a Meister and Weapon could easily make things complicated, and if things went wrong… Tsuzuki would be out of partners to choose from. Hopefully, Secret's crush would pass to someone else. Tsuzuki had seen how he looked at Wakaba, so maybe…

* * *

The next morning Tsuzuki was hyper-alert as they walked together into the school. He already knew it wouldn't be as uneventful as walking out of their first class together.

And lo, there was a pair of students blocking their path to the Half Moon classroom. Tsuzuki recognized the one-star Meister and his Weapon. The young man had his arms crossed. "Hmph. What do we have here? A Dark Weapon and his little Meister?" He tsked with very real disgust.

"So?" Secret's tone barely contained his annoyance.

"So, I'd better watch out if I were you. Accidents tend to occur when someone wields that thing."

"You mean, you or someone you know may 'cause an accident' right?"

"Listen up, Secret 'cause I'm only saying this once. He's a monster. My seniors talked about how he attacks his Meister the moment he's badly injured. I'm trying to do you a favor here. What, since you've gotten so close to him." The man's eyes narrowed.

Tsuzuki winced because it was all true.

"Drop your altruistic act. I can tell you're out to start a fight." Secret coolly responded.

"Milliam, we should get to class..." A teenaged girl stepped out from behind him nervously.

"That's right, short stack! I challenge you to a duel!"

The cocky smirk made Tsuzuki pound his fist into his other palm. "Should we show him what we can do?"

Glancing at Tsuzuki with that same sour expression, Secret snorted. "We need a teacher to oversee a duel."

The girl's eyes got big, while her partner's flicked between Secret and Tsuzuki and he cracked his knuckles. "Nah, we don't."

"Somebody wish to explain why the hallway's blocked with students who should be in class?" A much-put upon voice asked sharply.

Already mid-turn to see who was behind them, Tsuzuki suppressed his grimace recognizing the voice. "Earl, maybe you could do us a favor and oversee a duel between my Pair and theirs?"

A fluttery sigh emitted from the masked man, his black-brown hair spiking up above the smiling entertainment mask. "You're lucky that I was just passing through. You'll owe me later."

"Milliam, I've got a feeling we're outmatched," his partner stated quite bitterly.

"Synthia, shut up. I know what I'm doing."

"This way, this way. Lord Death wouldn't want his precious school harmed." The gloved hands waved them towards the nearest exit.

Tsuzuki waited with Secret until the other Pair passed before also following.

Outside, the lanky research scientist stood at the edge of the front courtyard to the DMWA and waved casually forward. "Take your places."

Setting his new shoulderbag down with his left hand, Secret headed to the center.

He and Milliam stood thirty feet from each other as their Weapons transformed.

A black, heavy .45 caliber semi-automatic set in Milliam's hand, already aimed to kill.

Shifting into a defensive pose, Secret held Tsuzuki's dark blade up, ready to deflect any bullets with carefully amplified power if he couldn't dodge them.

"The duel's rules are as follows: No killing blows. Once your opponent's down, all fighting ceases. If there's a draw, a rematch will be decided in the future if both parties accept." The tone was bored as if this was a common occurrence. He dropped his white-gloved hand. "Begin."

Immediately the gun fired, and Secret swiftly dodged, instantly reading where it would be aimed.

"SYNCHRO!" The two voices called out, and the gun's barrel enlarged and elongated, its magazine bulking up. Useless in a close combat situation, Tsuzuki thought derisively. No wonder the guy hadn't graduated yet.

Secret had already closed the distance and shoved his blade, sharp side away, into Milliam's gut.

"OOF!" He wheezed out, the glow surrounding him disappearing, as he stumbled back. Secret waited until he regained his footing, which was several long seconds.

Tsuzuki wondered why he waited. _'Secret, you need to disable him as quickly as possible.'_

_I know._ Secret thought back at him. _If he takes this fight more seriously, he'll think twice before threatening us again. And maybe others will think twice about it too._

Fury was on the other man's features as he blustered and fired the gun after aiming for Secret's face yet again. Secret moved aside fluidly as the furious whistle-buzzes popped past each time. Milliam was expecting another hit with the sword and so was fixated on that.

Unfortunately he didn't seem to realize how deadly the object in Secret's dominant hand could be. Secret found the opening he'd been waiting for inside the Meister's space and harshly slammed the sheath across his arm.

The sound of a bone breaking cracked across the courtyard.

It took a second for Milliam to register it, and he screamed, dropping his Weapon who immediately transformed and knelt next to him. While she stood nearby in obvious worry, her Meister cried cradling the crooked arm against his chest as his fingers twitched.

"Secret-Tsuzuki Pair wins. Now, let's get you kids to the infirmary, hm?"

Synthia helped her Meister up to stand and together they followed the eccentric Earl into the building.

Not having broken a sweat, Secret let out a heavy breath, re-sheathing Tsuzuki, who transformed to stand next to him.

That had been _amazing_. Secret hadn't even Resonated with him! Tsuzuki was pumped, but... Secret had a frown on his face. "What's wrong, Secret?"

"That was easier than I was expecting. I thought he might be ambidextrous."

"You gave that bully too much credit," he said as Secret bent to pick up his bookbag. His fingers went slack and dropped the bag back down with only the barest noise.

Tsuzuki reached down and plucked it up before Secret's left hand could scoop it up. "You went overboard, didn't you?"

Secret fisted his shaking right hand and dropped it out of view behind him without a word.

"I thought you might have with that last attack. Are you hurt?"

"No, it doesn't feel like I pulled anything."

Hiking the bag on his shoulder, Tsuzuki glanced at his Meister. "If we need to visit the school nurse..."

"I'll tell you when, Tsuzuki. I'm not stupid," Secret scowled. "I know my limits in a fight."

"Sorry. I'm just worried." Tsuzuki's stomach tightened with hunger like it normally did after he transformed. The sooner he could eat another soul, no matter how foul, the better, but he did not want to push Secret into a mission when he was not fully himself yet.

"So, who is that 'Earl'?"

Tsuzuki made a face. "Only someone who I owe a lot of favors to."

Suddenly the distance between them felt icy.

Tsuzuki stopped. "It's not _those_ kind of favors. He's a Weapon Researcher who has a particular fixation on Dark Weapons and Magic Weapons."

"The guy spies on you," Secret stated bluntly.

"R-really?" The hallways were empty save for them. "Well, he _does_ like to research me."

"Research without clothing?"

"What? No! He just hooks me up to some machinery to take some readings..." Tsuzuki trailed off, then stopped and looked at his partner. "So, you're saying the Earl's got a thing for me?"

Secret nodded, probably not aware of the jealous frown on his face.

"Huh... Well, I don't like him like that if that's what you're worried about. I _am_ flattered that you're jealous."

His Meister looked extremely uncomfortable at that and the intense look on his face melted away. "I'm not. I just don't like…"

"Perverts?"

Secret nodded, looking at the floor as they walked.

Quietly, they arrived to class late, but Tatsumi only offered them a cursory glance as they trudged up the stairs to the corner where two empty seats sat. Tsuzuki thought it was because the Earl had notified their teacher. The class had rearranged themselves according to whose partner was whose. Unintentionally, their classmates had left a niche for their Pair, since nobody wanted to sit by Tsuzuki.

After Tsuzuki set his bag down next to him, Secret pulled out a notebook. Tatsumi continued to lecture and demonstrated some points about defensive maneuvers with differently ranged weapons. It wasn't long before class was over and homework was assigned.

As usual, Secret waited until the classroom was almost empty and then took the steps down.

"Blackriver. Welcome back," Tatsumi greeted him warmly. "I'm pleased that you've kept up in your studies while you were recovering."

"Yes, I was glad to have the distraction."

"Promotion examinations are coming up. I've written a recommendation that you be allowed to take them."

"..." Secret stared at his tall teacher. "I've barely been here three months, spent two of them recovering from injuries from a botched mission, and you think I'm ready to pass the exam to become a two-star Meister?"

"Did you not best Milliam Ackler in a one-on-one duel in less than five minutes? He may not be top of his class, but he's no small fry either. He would be a two-star already if he hadn't failed his exams by two points. With your skills, it shouldn't be too difficult."

Secret looked up at Tsuzuki, who grinned down at him. "I think you've got what it takes too."

"I hope you'll return unharmed from your next mission."

His Meister nodded. "I'll try not to be caught again."

Tatsumi gave Tsuzuki a sharp look that took him aback. "I'm sure your Weapon will do a better job of ensuring your safety."

Any defensive words dried on his lips.

"Good day to you both."

When their teacher left, Tsuzuki licked his lips before he could speak again. "You ready to check out the mission board again?" Tsuzuki asked.

After the barest of sighs, Secret looked like he swallowed a bug. "Yeah. I've got to get more Kishin souls for you." Secret glanced at him with subtly-covered concern. It was all in the eyes and the way his mouth curved just so.

Of course, that look had nothing to do with his ex-Meister's unspoken warning. "Mm. Does that mean you've changed your goal to a weaker witch?"

"No, I intend to turn you into a Death Scythe with _his_ foul soul. Not that it matters either way, it's not like I expect to outlive Muraki's defeat."

Tsuzuki grabbed Secret's left shoulder and turned him around to face him. "Don't talk like that."

"You don't care about me like I care about you." Green eyes burned suspiciously at him, the fresh rejection from the day before was still in his eyes. "So, why does it matter to you?"

Removing his hand, Tsuzuki rubbed his face in frustration. Obviously anything Tsuzuki said to curtail that venomous idea of Secret's would just be taken wrong. "If it comes to that, it happens. But to expect it is self-defeatist. No one goes into a fight expecting to die."

Swallowing, Secret looked away. "Let's head to the Mission Hall to check out the board."

"Okay."

After the duel that morning, word had spread fast and the Pair was given wide berth as they headed to the Mission hall. Tsuzuki now only had the most experienced student Pairs to watch out for.

"Pleaaaase?" A little girl's voice sounded. "I can't find Hi-dear!"

Of those students who didn't ignore her outright, they shooed her or told her to buzz off.

She looked hurt, but she was a trooper.

Unable to stop from smiling to see her there, Tsuzuki knelt down to the girl's level. "Kazusa, what're you doing here?"

She chirped at him. "Have you seen Hi-dear, old man?"

"Old man?" Tsuzuki said in mock outrage, hand to his chest.

Kazusa giggled. "Sorry, I mean Uncle!"

"No, sorry." Secret cut in as Tsuzuki gasped in mock pain, clutching his chest. "We haven't. Who is he?"

"Hi-dear and me are friends!" Kazusa pouted. "But the old lady says he's been missing for a while... Can you help me?"

"The matron at the orphanage told the kids that Hijiri was last sighted in Ibusuki two days ago," Secret helpfully supplied to Tsuzuki, though Tsuzuki knew for a fact that his Meister knew none of the people he had just listed.

_Ibusuki? That's not far from here, _Tsuzuki thought to himself, inwardly worried about Hijiri's safety.

Unassuming, his Meister lightly placed a hand on Tsuzuki's right shoulder. _Is it bad?_

_'Well, Hijiri's a beginner Meister who's been missing for about two months now...'_

"Wooow." The little girl with honey-colored eyes stared up at Secret. "Are you a ninja, mister?"

"Do ninjas read minds?" Tsuzuki teased. _'Isn't she cute, Secret?'_

_I don't know about that..._ came the reserved response.

"Hi-dear said they can do _anything_!"

Tsuzuki had to hold back his chuckle when Secret facepalmed. "I'm not a ninja."

"Oh! That's right." She covered her mouth with big, wide eyes. "I don't know your secret!" She said under her fingers.

Hearing his Meister sigh in frustration, Tsuzuki stood up, the slight hand dropping from his shoulder, and looked towards Secret his eyebrows in askance. _'Let's check it out, shall we?'_

Secret nodded.

"Let's go visit your home, Kazusa!"

She looked at him questioningly. "Will you look for Hi-dear?"

"Yes, but you really ought to be listening to your lesson."

"Okay, Uncle." The little girl made a noise and held both her arms up, imploringly. Secret looked like he was about to scold her, so Tsuzuki grinned and picked her up with a flourish.

The little girl squealed as she fell back into his awaiting arms.

"How did you get way over here without being caught?"

"I hide really well!" She beamed up at him.

"Oh? Ms. Nimura must be sick with worry since you left!"

"I left her a note!"

"Oh, you did?"

"Uh huh!"

Secret said nothing as they headed out of the DWMA complex without a mission plaque in hand.

In no time at all, they came upon an old church and orphanage.

"Otonashi Kazusa!"

"Uh oh," the little girl said through a smile.

"Busted, huh?" Tsuzuki waggled his eyebrows at her. The girl's eyes were wide as she laughed in his arms.

"Thank you, Mr. Tsuzuki." The aged woman bustled right up to him and plucked the girl from his grasp. "How on earth are we supposed to have a birthday party without the birthday girl?"

"I'm sorry." All signs of happiness fell from her face as Kazusa sniffed looking like she was about to burst into tears. "But Hi-dear promised! _He promised_!" She started crying, and Nimura rubbed slow circles on her tiny back, not able to look untroubled about the whole thing.

"If he's not back yet, how will he be back by _tomorrow_?" The little girl wailed.

"Because we'll go get him, okay, Kazusa? That'll be our birthday present to you!" Tsuzuki smiled helpfully.

She nodded, but buried her face against the old woman's shoulder.

"Do be careful, Mr. Tsuzuki," Nimura stated calmly, her wrinkled hand continuing its movement. "So, this young lad must be your new Meister?"

"I'm Secret Blackriver."

"Well, Mr. Blackriver, I would love to stay and chat, but I have a class that needs my attention. Goodbye, and do be safe on your trip."

"Bye, bye!" Kazusa giggled excitedly. "I know Uncle will bring Hi-dear back safely!"

Not long after, they returned to their apartment to pack a day-bag so they had enough food and water for their trip. Secret also changed his clothes for the hot trip through the desert, though every inch of his skin was still covered, and slipped on a front-brimmed hat. Then, they headed down to Tsuzuki's storage unit to pull out the bike.

The bicycle's design had changed. Two people could sit on it now, one right behind the other.

After locking up the unit, Tsuzuki slipped on his sunglasses and then threw a leg over the bicycle, taking the first seat and bike handles. "C'mon, hop on. I had Watari make some modifications so you didn't have to do all the work."

Leaning on the right side to have a foot on the ground, Secret tentatively seated behind him, the bag securely tightened on his back.

"All right, you ready to try this out?"

"Yeah."

"Just keep your balance, I'll pedal it. When you feel more comfortable you can start pedaling too."

Tsuzuki turned forward and hopped onto the tandem bike as it wobbled forward, quickly pedaling to get started.

"We'll be in Ibusuki in less than ten."

Soon the road leading out the north side of Death City seemed to end as it was covered in sand.

"Hold on tight! We're going to fly!"

Tsuzuki opened up the channels of his electrical power as he pushed a button to switch out the gears so the pedals locked in place.

Zapping the hell out of the circuitry leading to the small engine fitted on the front of the gear box, the bicycle roared and took off into the air.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Secret looked gleeful, instead of fearful.

With a push of a lever by his thumb on the bike's handle, he propelled the bike faster, the hot wind whipping through his hair.

_To be continued..._

**Next time:** The Pair finds themselves caught up in an unexpected situation! Wait, S-secret, it's not what you think!


	14. A Posessed Dark Weapon

_**Author's Notes: **__This took a long of time to write and edit. I think I rewrote parts like five times before I was satisfied with it. I hope you all will like it... Some pretty intense stuff is gonna happen in this chapter!_

_**Warning: **__Violence,psychological abuse, extreme personality change_

_Soul Eater-verse term that may not be understood in context: _

_**Magic Barrier**__: A very specialized spell that can trap a Witch's enemies until she can escape a safe distance away and mask her signature. Only the most powerful of Witches can use this spell._

_**Eibon**__: A mysterious, once powerful person who created many 'Magical' items through his short-lived alliance with the Witch Arachne a long time ago. At one time, he was great friends with Lord Death, but he turned to the dark side after his beloved passed away._

_**Magic Tool**__: A device that allows a non-magical user to use magic in a predetermined way. There was Magic Tool in the shape of a key that allowed a train to run automated for years without a driver and always run on time._

_**The Spatial Magic Tool - Barrier Shield**_: _This is an amalgamation of Fuda Magic from Descendants of Darkness and Barrier Magic as seen in Soul Eater. In this case, Eibon created a Magic Tool that could create a separate pocket dimension for a specific length of time. In this fic, Eibon had devised it to test his Magic Tools. They are incredibly powerful and dangerous and if they didn't work as intended it could spell disaster for everyone. If the experimental Magic Tools exploded or warped space-time, then the ensuing destruction and chaos would happen safely in a collapsible dimension without harming the real world._

_**Soul Augmentation**__: Before Weapons had been created, Eibon had performed a series of experiments to augment a Normal's soul to imbue them with special abilities to fight Witches. These experiments were mostly unsuccessful with only a few survivors. _

_**Werr**__: This one is my imagination getting carried away. We never meet Soul-Augmented Normals in Soul Eater canon even though they are mentioned. We get no other details, like if whether they have a normal lifespan or what kinds of abilities they're gifted with. I theorized on my own that these souls were not all immortal, and that they were kind of crazy powerful proto-Weapons._

_**Chapter 14 EDITED 7/20/2013**__A big thank-you to _Oh Govna _for pointing out some discrepancies with the descriptions and asking for some clarifying footnotes of the Soul Eater-verse._

* * *

When they arrived at Ibusuki that sat between the desert and shrubby plains, the Pair could tell that something was terribly wrong.

It was the middle of the day, too early for siesta, and everyone had shuttered themselves indoors in the side-by-side mud-and-straw adobe buildings along the sandy, packed dirt path.

Mindful of his hat, Secret slipped off the bike with a hand held out for his Weapon, who'd been hovering in the air patiently in his sword form. The electric touch hummed with Tsuzuki's anticipation for a fight.

Walking into the common space of the town, Secret felt the aftermath of fear and pain emanating from the patches of spilled blood, still fresh. Secret held his right hand over the blood, letting Tsuzuki sync with him.

Tsuzuki hissed as if the connection burnt. _/A Dark Weapon's done this. We should head back to Death City and-/_

"We need to report this to Lord Death," Secret said aloud to him and headed to the nearest window.

"Tsuzuki?" A drunken voice slurred out. "Tsuzuki, is that you?"

Secret spun around, holding Tsuzuki up defensively.

A male youth, roughly Secret's height and age, with dark green eyes and brown hair weaved in front of them. _Meister_, Secret ascertained as he stepped back uncertainly. The emotions coming from the youth were a swirl of confusion; disorientation being the most prominent.

Tsuzuki's eye opened on the hilt between Secret's fingers taking a peek at the Meister._ /Hijiri?/_

The teen's outfit was bloodstained and his tanned skin was likewise painted burnt red. There was a giant slash down the front of his shirt where a wound was still weeping crimson and in his right hand was a bloodied knife, a lifeless object without a hint of Weapon soul in it. "Help me. Help me please."

Tsuzuki's hand suddenly left Secret's after the Weapon transformed to his two-legged state. When Hijiri made a stumbling step, Tsuzuki caught him before he collapsed.

"Once you've told Lord Death of our discovery," Tsuzuki directed, "we'll take him back to the hospital."

Moving to the only plaster-and-wood house in the courtyard, Secret breathed moist air onto its reflective window in the shade of an eave and then very quickly dragged a finger through the resulting condensation. A ring tone vibrated in the air after he'd finished writing the specific sequence of numbers and they disappeared in the afternoon heat.

A caricature of a skull mask surrounded in black appeared with a cheerful 'Hellooo, Secret and Tsuzuki!'

"Sir, the missing Meister, Minase Hijiri, has been located in Ibusuki badly hurt," Secret said curtly, "Tsuzuki and I are bringing him in. Something's not right about the town though…"

Lord Death nodded sagely. "I was going to send an experienced team over to check it out. Thanks for your help, you two, and might I add that your hat looks fabulous, Secret! Ciao!" The faint reflection of Lord Death disappeared and was replaced by Secret's pale reflection.

It was always bizarre talking to the dissonantly cheerful, old entity that was Lord Death, especially considering the grisliness of the blood-covered courtyard behind Secret.

"Tsuzuki, whatever's—" Secret began, turning towards his partner.

Two weapons clattered to the ground. One was the sheathed sword of his Weapon, while the other was the bloodied dagger. The Meister that Tsuzuki had been attending looked around dazedly exactly as if he'd just woken up.

"Tsuzuki!" Secret's heart was in his throat now as he crouched to pick up Tsuzuki. Not sensing anything unusual, he stood, glaring at Hijiri in accusation. "Did you do something to him?"

Barely able to remain upright, Hijiri cradled his head, nursing a massive headache. "I don't know. I don't… Wake up, Tsuzuki! Please wake up!" Hijiri cried out and reached out towards the Dark Sword, sounding and feeling brokenhearted.

Secret took an ungenerous step back from those hands. "We need to get to Death City Hospital. _Now_." Secret jogged to the tandem bike with his arms wrapped protectively around his silent Weapon.

The other Meister followed him at a slower pace. Secret sensed how the heat and light were painful to him. "Wa-wait up!"

By the time Secret had set his Weapon into the holder that ran along the frame's length, Hijiri caught up to him out of breath. "Wait."

Secret mounted the first seat. "My name's Secret Blackriver. Kazusa asked us to look for you because her birthday's tomorrow," he answered, before Hijiri could let the unspoken questions burst from his panting lips. "You're coming along with me. They're expecting us in Death City."

Without another word, Hijiri took the second seat.

By the time they'd make it back to Death City, Secret was going to take advantage of Tsuzuki's friendship with Walter and demand that the bike be converted into a motorbike. When Tsuzuki was incapacitated again, Secret would probably not be so lucky as to have a second pedaling with him.

The other Meister was just as concerned about Tsuzuki as Secret was and tried to help, but he was obviously exhausted on top of feeling heat-sick. However, that made Hijiri practically deadweight because he couldn't carry his own.

Still, Secret could feel nothing from Tsuzuki.

Outside the hospital half an hour later, a sweaty Secret waited for Hijiri to disembark first before leaving the bike by the entryway and scooped the abnormally mute Tsuzuki into his arms. Hijiri stumbled through the entryway in front of him.

There weren't many in the Emergency Room, but when Secret followed after a staggering, blood-covered Meister the attention was wholly on him.

For once, he stood his ground mentally, dodging their thoughts and feelings like Dr. Stein had taught him weeks ago. "I need a Weapon Specialist," then Secret jerked his head towards Hijiri, "and a Meister Doctor for him."

"I'm fine! I'm worried about Tsuzuki." Hijiri looked like a breeze could knock him down.

"Please _thoroughly_ have him checked. I think he might have passed on something to my Weapon. My Weapon sensed a Dark Weapon in the town we were in."

Doctors were paged, and the two Meisters were taken to separate rooms by the nurses.

The bald-headed nurse, Hernando, couldn't convince Secret to let him take Tsuzuki, even with the protection of a specially-made blanket to protect the Normal.

So, Secret sat in the only chair within the oddly stocked room, still cradling the Dark Sword.

No longer able to maintain the hollow silence in the thickly shielded room, Secret slowly ran his fingers over Tsuzuki's sheath. "Talk to me."

The absent reaction to his plea scared Secret more. "I can't do this without you. Please be okay." Secret hugged his Weapon tightly, leaning his cheek on the cool sheath.

_/Secret…?/_ Tsuzuki's worryingly drowsy voice sounded.

"Tsuzuki, change form!" Dropping his arms, Secret watched his Weapon transform into his human form. Tsuzuki looked extremely drained but none the worse for wear.

"What happened?" Secret demanded.

"I…" Tsuzuki blinked owlishly and then frowned when he noticed where he was. "I don't know. The last thing I remember was searching Hijiri's soul for signs of injury and then… I was in your arms." His Weapon cocked his head at him. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm fine," Secret snapped, obliterating any trace of distress from his expression.

The heavy, very thick door opened, and the Weapon doctor looked at his clipboard. "I see your Weapon has come to, Meister Blackriver. That's relatively good news," the short, dark-skinned man commented as he shut the door.

"Hi, Dr. Lincoln," Tsuzuki yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

"You know the drill. On the table."

Pulling off his upper clothing, Tsuzuki dutifully laid out as the doctor pulled down an assortment of wicked-shaped devices, which hung off arms attached to the ceiling and walls. He pressed the blunt ends against Tsuzuki's bared chest.

The doctor hm-ed at the displays and made numerous notes before switching out the devices. "Have you recently been in a fight, Meister Blackriver?"

"This morning before school," Secret answered coolly.

"I meant more recently."

"No…" Secret said slowly, looking at Tsuzuki's prone form.

"Tsuzuki, I need to make a full body evaluation."

Tsuzuki stood up stripping off his pants and shoes so suddenly that Secret looked away turning bright scarlet. At the very least, the doctor felt nothing like the Earl.

"What're you doing, Dr. Lincoln?" Secret managed to ask politely.

"I'm going through all the possible causes for his symptoms." Flipping a few switches, the doctor peered at the displays. "All looks fine, Tsuzuki. You can re-dress." Straightening, the doctor looked at Secret, "If you would come with me, Meister Blackriver."

Once the door firmly shut behind them in the hallway, the doctor jutted a thumb towards the room they'd just vacated. "If he wasn't in a fight or counteracting a Witch's spell or curse, his diagnostics imply that he's been possessed. I was checking for any unusual markings for possible entry, since I have confirmation that Meister Minase's diagnostics reveal that he had recently experienced possession by another Enchanted Weapon, be it Dark or Magic. Keep a sharp lookout, Meister Blackriver. Any peculiarities in his personality, mood, or habits are warning signs."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Doctor," Secret replied shakily. Dr. Lincoln nodded and went down the hall, leaving Secret alone.

Secret knew all about Dark Weapon possession of Meisters or regular Demon Weapons, but there was absolutely nothing about Dark Weapon possession of other Dark Weapons. But he _should_ be able to tell if Tsuzuki was possessed, right?

Fully clothed, Tsuzuki stepped out of the examination room, looking and feeling less exhausted. In fact, he seemed practically rejuvenated.

"You're looking better, Tsuzuki."

Tsuzuki smiled apologetically. "Yeah, I think I need to rest up. I have this pounding headache that won't go away."

"That's fine. It's not like we picked out a mission to do yet." Secret headed down the hall and out the main door. He was relieved that Tsuzuki felt alright while Tsuzuki followed him quietly. Secret glanced over his shoulder when they were climbing the stairs to their apartment, but Tsuzuki flashed a reassuring smile at him.

Secret figured the headache meant Tsuzuki's head hurt when he spoke, so he waited until they were back in their apartment to speak. Secret toed off his shoes

"I'll make you something for dinner."

"What would I do without you, Secret?" Tsuzuki grinned at him and hung his coat on the rack after taking off his shoes. "I think a bath's just what I needed after a day in the desert sun," he said nonchalantly loosening the tie.

After feeling practically nothing on their way over, there were butterflies in Secret's stomach at that blazing smile overflowing with motion. He could _feel_ Tsuzuki's full-blown affection, when before he'd been hesitant after Secret's confession. Secret fought the blush threatening to erupt on his face as he watched Tsuzuki trudge down the hall.

_Wait, why the sudden change of heart?_ Secret thought suspiciously.

"You think Kazusa would like some fishcakes for her birthday tomorrow?" Secret blurted out, hoping Dr. Lincoln and his gut instinct were completely wrong. "Because I was planning on making some for the Chief, since he likes them so much, and it wouldn't be a big deal to make a few more for her."

"We brought her friend back safe and sound. Does she really need something else?" Tsuzuki mused with an absence of affection towards the girl he'd earlier doted on.

Secret blinked, instantly on alert, but he made sure his body didn't show it. "Well, you know, since we're going to her party tomorrow, I thought it'd be weird if we didn't bring her a present."

"Sure, go ahead and make some. I'm sure anything you'd make would taste great," Tsuzuki called over his shoulder before entering the bathroom, a deep desire to have a lifetime companion coloring his words.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit_. Secret inwardly panicked while he pulled out some cookery in the guise of cooking.

Tsuzuki _was_ possessed. Why didn't he think that Tsuzuki should be locked up? Wait, why didn't Dr. Lincoln order that Tsuzuki go into quarantine?

"Oh, can you make it spicy, Secret?" Tsuzuki had popped out from around the corner, revealing his creamy tan skin in full nudity.

Secret slammed the pot down. "Go get clean. You stink!"

"I was going to ask if you wanted to share a bath," Tsuzuki pouted and stepped back into the bathroom.

"SHUT THE DOOR!"

"Fine, but you're still welcome to join me," Tsuzuki's voice called out before he shut the door.

Secret's hands were shaking. He was flustered because Tsuzuki was revealing everything Secret ever wanted. He took a deep breath and forced his hands to steady by calming himself.

Secret needed to get out. While possessed, Tsuzuki could be very dangerous and the student dormitories would be the absolute last place Secret wanted a fight to break out.

Quickly Secret grabbed his coat and shoved his feet back into his shoes while his stomach churned. He unlocked the door and yanked it open, relieved he'd gotten away.

A body slammed behind him, shutting the door and pinning Secret to the wall.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsuzuki pondered playfully. "You couldn't possibly be running away from me."

Secret's throat closed on itself.

Hands forced Secret to turn until he was facing the naked, wet-slicked Tsuzuki.

By the sadistic grin on his face, the Tsuzuki act was over. Secret saw a giant 'X' mark like a dark stain on Tsuzuki's chest. It was a Possession Mark that was still weeping what looked like black ink. A Dark Weapon had entered Tsuzuki's body and was wearing him like a suit.

"I _just_ realized that your 'Chief' has never tasted your delightful fishcakes." A damp finger rubbed across Secret's tense jaw. Secret felt nothing but a thirst for power and a deep-seated hunger. Tsuzuki was far, far from him. Secret would know now what a Dark Weapon's possession felt like. He would never be fooled again… if there ever was an again.

"Why did you possess Tsuzuki?" Secret asked calmly, despite the fear screaming inside of him to get away. His logic ran that scenario through and found that simply wouldn't work. He had to wait for the right moment, if it came.

"Surely you've heard of his great exploits as the Sky Renderer?"

Secret stared at the cruel Weapon watching him with Tsuzuki's purple eyes. Secret hadn't, but he sure as hell would research it once they got out of this mess unscathed. "Do you plan on possessing me too?"

"Naturally."

"You'd have to be in constant contact with me."

"Yes, but since you two have started dating no one will think it's odd that you're holding hands."

Secret grimaced. "We haven't—"

"No, but it's your Weapon holding back, right? We'll tell everyone that we're madly in love, and no one would think twice." Neither the dark, greedy look in Tsuzuki's eyes nor the eager will to do foul things was Tsuzuki's. "Isn't this what you wanted, _comrade_?"

Secret froze, wanting to lash out as fury won out over the fear. He fisted his hands tightly, refusing to rise to the bait.

"I've seen his hopes and his dreams. Everything he's ever desired is laid open for my perusal. Mm, that's quite the endearing glare. You want to know about him, since he's seen you at your _weakest_."

Exaggerating the flinch, Secret focused on his goal and bared his teeth. "You won't get away with this."

"Did he tell you how hard it is to be near you?" Ignoring the vague threat from his Meister, Tsuzuki's mouth hovered closer to Secret's lips, whispering, "How often he dreams of eating your delicious soul?"

Feigning shock, Secret saw the Tsuzuki-wearing creep lean in for an obvious kiss and chose that moment to release the energy he'd built up inside his knee into Tsuzuki's groin.

The possessed Weapon dropped to the ground with a shrill scream, and Secret ripped open the door, wincing when it bounced off Tsuzuki's prone form, and ran like hell.

Reaching the stone bannister at the end of the hall, Secret didn't think twice about jumping onto it and dropping down from the third story. In a split second, he gathered power in his feet and sent it into the hard ground below. He landed ankle deep in fine particulate. He grimaced when his right ankle twinged, but he wouldn't let it slow him down.

The sound of Tsuzuki's pissed-off yell reached Secret. He threw himself into each successive kick of his legs, running faster and faster down the brick path. He heard his heavy breathing echo off the walls of the buildings in the empty streets and knew exactly how easy it was for the Dark Weapon to find him with everyone safe inside.

Secret knew he needed help, _now_, but he didn't have the means to contact a high-level Meister right away. He had succeeded in keeping such a dangerous predator away from the other students in the dormitory, since they wouldn't have lasted a second against Tsuzuki, but it was unlikely he'd reach help in time.

Taking the steps four at a time, Secret's chest and legs burned as the immense DMWA's building came into view from above.

Lord Death would know what to do, right? Secret had never prepared, mentally, to de-possess _Tsuzuki_. He was a little shocked at what he'd already done to his Weapon in an effort to get away.

Without warning, Secret was snatched off the ground by his biceps mid-leap and held tightly against Tsuzuki's chest.

"You should've screamed for help while you had the chance, my little Meister," the roughened, eager voice said.

Shoving and kicking, Secret sucked down air and struggled in the grip, feeling the snaky lines wriggling through his bare skin like worms. He was being pulled inward, but he didn't _want_ to go there!

Secret _needed_ to fight, to stop from becoming possessed.

"I won't let you!" He ground out.

_/Come out, come out, wherever you are./ _The possessing Weapon's true voice was nothing like Tsuzuki's, slimy and gurgled. /_Ah, there it is./_

Secret fell inward as his soul door was ripped opened and a black fluid splattered against him. Struggling in vain, he found himself trapped in a web of rubbery black. A disgustingly slimy bulbous creature snickered wetly as it slithered out. /_Stay there like a good boy._/

/_NO!_/

He fought against the bonds and noticed that he began to move more and more sluggishly until he could move no more. He turned his focus outwards, anxious to know what was going on outside.

"Put the boy down."

"It's too late!" Tsuzuki crowed gleefully. "He's mine, now!"

"Soul Resonance," the glaze-eyed Meister uttered, while Secret fought to resist the Dark Weapon with everything he had.

Just as he'd read, he had no control over himself. His soul door flung open. Tsuzuki's soul similarly ringed with black substance hung across from Secret.

_/Tsuzuki!_ _Don't resonate with me!_/

The hooded figure didn't respond.

_/TSUZUKI!_/

_/He's lost to you boy,/_ the loud voice gurgled. _/I reminded him of his past crimes, and he easily folded. All you can do now is sit back and enjoy the show./_

_/NO! I WON'T LET YOU!/_ Secret screamed. He'd never been possessed before but he was definitely going to try using the techniques Dr. Stein had showed him, but now, now wasn't the time when he could be overcome so easily with the attention on him. Knowing this, he ground his jaw down and screamed again fighting at the bonds but not twitching one bit.

Laughing, the Dark Weapon resonated with both the Weapon he'd possessed and the Meister, amplifying the Sky Renderer's power streaming into him. With a deep bellow, he blew away a large part of the staircase where the annoying glasses-wearing Meister had been standing.

The dust cleared and the Dark Weapon cackled, thinking he was invulnerable with so much power running through his veins. "Come at me, if any _dare_!"

Dark wisps curled around the Weapon's limbs as the crazy Weapon's cackling gave way to full-blown mad-as-a-hatter laughter.

"You know, you're really stupid if you think that killed Tats," a tenor voice said lightly.

With a growl, Tsuzuki turned, holding the blond teen like a hostage before him.

A black scythe Weapon rested quietly in a Meister's hands. The glowing woman with light skin and dark brown hair gazed levelly at the possessed Tsuzuki.

"Why should I, Sagant, when I have taken possession of the Sky Renderer? I shall rend you limb from limb, foolish Meister!"

Dark wisps materialized into thick fibers around Secret's shoulders and waist, wrenching the blond Meister from Tsuzuki's grasp.

"NO, YOU DON'T!" howled the Dark Weapon, stomping on the petite form to keep those pesky wisps from taking his meal away from him, not caring about the mental yelp of pain from the Meister. "HE'S MINE!"

Concentrating in that moment of distraction, Secret aimed his soul wavelength at the webbing around him. _/I AM NOT YOURS!_/ When it dissolved, Secret lurched for Tsuzuki's trapped soul, but it suddenly flung away from him as if the process of breaking himself free had pushed their connection apart as well. _/TSUZUKI!_/

Feeling the loss of amplification as the little punk destroyed his carefully placed web, the Dark Weapon howled in frustration, and then the boy disappeared into dark shadow altogether. "Where is he? WHERE IS SECRET?!"

A different human with round glasses and golden hair stepped to the forefront. "Somewhere you can't hurt him, _Sagant_. Now, shall we?" Glowing yellow, he adjusted his footing and crouched low, one hand palm out.

"HA! I will crush you," The lanky figure of Tsuzuki promised. With a yell, he arched forward and his body quickly warped, skin melting to a mercury color and bones thickening with grotesque popping and cracking. His skeleton burst out and shaped into a terrifying form.

As Tsuzuki changed, barrier nodes crackled in place around them, shooting green beams up towards the sky. Then they connected with zigzagging power. A bright green light filled in the space and enclosed them in a hexagonal pyramid.

Huge and monstrous, a skeleton made of sharpened steel roared angrily He was caged with only the solitary figure of a puny scientist. A giant 'X' was displayed on the shiny ribcage as he sliced his sword-arms together with a deafening 'SHHNG'. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Let me properly introduce myself," Walter bowed in a courtly fashion. "My name is Werr."

"DIE!" Lunging, the blue sword-arms came at the scientist who smiled.

Colossal plumes of dust flung up as areas of the empty street were destroyed in great explosions when the Dark Weapon missed its nimble target.

* * *

Coughing, Secret rolled to his side. He was in a cot with his left arm splinted and wrapped. Anger ignited inside of Secret. He'd _just_ finished healing! And then memories flew back and he freaked. "Tsuzuki," he groaned out, pushing himself up. He was in the middle of the street. He blinked in confusion at the sight of an immense green energy wall flickering ten paces away, nearly swallowing up the sky in that direction.

He looked behind him to see average houses lined up in a row behind him, but otherwise it was deathly quiet.

"Oh, good. You're awake."

Secret startled and jerked his head around to see Dr. Stein propped up in a wheelchair, leaning his chin on a hand with tapping fingers. "Who do you think would win in a fight between War and Destruction?"

Disoriented at the faint sunrise lighting the sky around the light green wall, Secret thought a moment. "What?…" Then he saw the tell-tale corner jutting out of the opaque green shielding, and it was cracked through. Alarmed, Secret pushed off the bed, standing. "What the hell. Isn't that a six-pointed Magic Barrier?"

It was impossible to break through a barrier like that!

Dr. Stein hmped in amusement. "Well, yes and no. Lord Death doesn't have a Witch of that caliber on hand. What you're seeing is the result of a Spatial Magic Tool."

"Eibon," Secret uttered. It was not in any of the reference materials, but he knew the name because of the Warlock Muraki's fascination with the Great Wizard's magical genius.

"Very good. I'm surprised you know that name." Stein's dull green eyes grinned with interest. Secret could sense that the doctor felt excited about what could be going on inside the disconnected dimension. "Unfortunately for you, Lord Death has decided to put down your rabid Weapon should the Barrier Shield fail."

Secret pushed off the bed. "I can help him. There's no need to kill him!"

"If that's how you feel, you should take this." A black key with green veining was held towards him.

Accepting it, Secret inspected the antique key, feeling a deep hum from it. It was energy that was kin to the Black Magic of Witches, yet was reminiscent of a Weapon's inherent gifts. "What is this?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Secret stared at it, unsure. "Will this get me inside…?" His hand tightened on the key as he turned to the looming barrier before him.

"Use it to gain entrance, but don't unlock the barrier until you've got the situation under control. And if you don't get the situation under control, well… Lord Death will." Stein's glasses flashed over as his grin widened. "Your Soul Ability will reveal the keyhole's location so you can enter the Barrier Shield."

"Right."

"Oh, and Hisoka?"

Stiff, Secret halted his step forward.

"Try not to die. I'd miss studying you." The screw cranked behind him.

Turning his head over his shoulder, Secret glared with one eye. "Don't ever use that name again."

The snick-snick of the screw stopped with a click. A smooth chuckle met his ears. "I'll play along with your little game for now, Meister Secret, but I wouldn't wait too long to intervene."

Secret turned again towards the immense barrier. Despite not being able to sense him, Tsuzuki was in there, forced to fight his allies.

Along the cobblestone street as he jogged alongside the flat-walled barrier, Secret extended his senses. Standing so close to the Barrier Shield, the hairs of his arm stood up. Farther down, he felt a star-shaped hole in the barrier surrounded by sparks of energy.

With abated breath, Secret inserted the key.

"Blackriver! Don't go in there!" Tatsumi yelled from behind.

Ignoring his teacher's sharp warning, Secret concentrated. He knew he was successful as the barrier's energy reached out to encase him. Before long he was sucked to the other side of the wall.

There was a flash of light, and Secret's surroundings shuddered before blackness enveloped him suddenly.

Once the shaking subsided, his teacher's Shadow Weapon hovered and pushed away the rubble around Secret. Secret quickly shoved the key into his pocket. Another wave of choking dust blew over them, and Secret coughed, eyes tearing to clear them.

"ARGH! YOU THINK THIS WRECKED SOUL IS WORTH SAVING?! YOU WILL DIE TRYING!" A booming voice straight across from Secret screamed. Through the unsettled dust, a giant, metal monster towered far above Secret.

The Meister shivered at the cold desolation inherent in those words. Sagant bared Tsuzuki's loneliness so brazenly that Secret gritted his teeth in defiance. He didn't know about the colossal golden set of armor that fought opposite of Tsuzuki, but Secret would never give up.

There was another magenta flash of light, and Secret held a hand up to block the intense light, mesmerized by the dizzying sense of power around him. It was probably why neither combatant had noticed Secret. Next to their bonfire, he was only a burning match.

Loud thudding headed in Secret's direction, and he braced for impact against whatever debris was causing that noise.

The Shadow Weapon caught the bouncing boulder and deflected it from Secret.

It crashed into the barrier behind them. The room, for that was what it was, was pure white with a destroyed garden and the gutted remains of a wooden building in the center.

Deflecting several liquid gold energy attacks from different angles, the monster that was Tsuzuki let loose another howl of fury, and then shot more bright purple plasma from his mouth.

Dust filled the air again before it was blown away by more golden energy.

_I sense…_ Secret frowned and then it hit him. _Walter!_

Tsuzuki's closest friend was neither Normal nor Meister, but he wasn't a Warlock or Weapon either. Secret had been uneasy around him precisely because he had not been able to determine what kind of soul wavelength he was sensing. He knew what he'd sensed hadn't been _evil_, but it was powerful and akin to Lord Death's otherness. When he picked up the repaired bicycle at Walter's all those months ago, he'd been quick to leave mostly out of his uneasiness and partly because he sensed the inventor didn't want to be disturbed.

"Tsuzuki. Fight back! Don't let that worm win!" The loud voice emanated from the golden armor. Secret could barely see through the miasma of energy clinging to Walter.

"THERE IS ONLY SAGANT! TSUZUKI IS _DEAD!_" The skeleton thundered, lashing out once more.

The armor's counter-attack had no impact on the skeleton's overall health, but then Secret felt Walter wasn't trying to beat Tsuzuki down.

Secret's mind raced as he tried to figure out how he would get close enough to use Stein's technique on Tsuzuki, while the two combatants were both throwing around enough energy to disintegrate Secret's soul.

With deep resolve, Secret decided on his course of action amidst the shaking ground and explosions bombarding him. He had only lasted this long with the Shadow Weapon by his side, but enough was enough.

He began to magnify the soul wavelength within himself, building it as quickly as he dared, higher and higher. He felt the Shadow Weapon shrink away from the red light.

"Tell Walter to stall for me without using energy attacks. I'm going to try something," Secret muttered to the Weapon. It fled from his form as the red light leaked back to his body, protectively encasing him.

Normally this much amplified power would have caught someone's attention, but this situation was far from normal. Secret hoped that Sagant would remain unaware of his plans until it was too late to counter-attack. Taking one last deep breath, Secret rushed over the pockmarked and pot-holed battlefield, coming upon the foot-shaped I-beam.

"HAH! YOU'VE REALIZED YOU CAN DO _NOTHING_!" Sagant bragged and then slammed more molten plasma against the shield that Walter used for defense.

Laughing, Walter tipped the shield back to let the attack skitter off into the barrier behind him to watch the gutsy kid's move. "No," the scientist's voice boomed, "I'm just tired of this game."

"SOUL FORCE!" Secret cried barely a second later, slamming his body against the top of the giant foot.

The energy crackled up Tsuzuki's reflective bone-leg, and Sagant screamed.

The dissonance swirled outwards, turning chunks of concrete to dust, clouds of sand to glass, and pieces of wood to splinters.

Taking a step back so as not to get caught up in the destructive force, Walter's voice echoing from the armor cried out, "Come back, Tsuzuki!"

Secret concentrated intensely, following Tsuzuki's chaotic energy and rendering it impotent. His life, Tsuzuki's life, depended on it.

"AAGGGHHGHHH!" The skeleton screeched, bowed back as rapidly alternating current disrupted the two Weapon souls' merge.

A sound, like a wet trumpet, bayed as Secret felt Tsuzuki pry the Kishin soul off of his own.

Sliding out of the metallic skeleton, a hideous, hunchbacked thing with oozing pores stretched out. Its multiple tiny black wings fluttered as its many pudgy fingers flagellated ineffectually towards the skeleton. Tsuzuki punched a sword-arm through the worm and flung it back. Sagant slid off the sharpened steel with a gurgled roar of fury.

Unable to maintain what was usually a short-lived technique any longer, Secret had no more built-up power to give as he panted and clutched the giant metal foot with his body. The Shadow Weapon had returned some time between delivering the message and Secret unleashing his attack and clung to his back tightly.

/_I'LL KILL YOU ALL_!/ Sagant bayed again, regenerating its wounds.

Tsuzuki answered with his own angry roar, swinging his sword-arms through parts of the caterpillar-like monster.

"ARES STRIKE!" The armor's blackened gold sword would have sliced Sagant in two if at the last instant the winged worm hadn't darted nearer towards Tsuzuki.

Instead only a hulking piece of putrid flesh and feathered wings slid to the ground in a sagging heap. Sagant snarled ferociously and bit into Tsuzuki's ribcage, which hissed from the sound of acid.

The metal feet shifted, and Secret clung with everything he had. Craning his head up, he shimmied backwards to avoid the acid slipping down Tsuzuki's leg. Tatsumi's Shadow Weapon hung over Secret preventing acid from splattering onto him.

As the two drained Dark Weapons fought physically, Secret frowned. What wasTsuzuki doing? He could finish this fight so much faster if he aimed his plasma attack at Sagant's weaknesses.

His eyes widened as he felt his Weapon's emotions. _Tsuzuki's berserk! I have to do something!_

Swearing, Secret slapped his hands to his Weapon's foot and yelled, "TSUZUKI!"

When there was no answer as Tsuzuki kept blindly attacking the gnawing, greasy pseudo-caterpillar, Secret reached for _him_.

Absolute darkness and desperation clouded this ephemeral place. The ceiling was arched with black tree limbs blocking out the sky, while the floor was covered with reflective obsidian tiles like the glossy scales of a snake. Sensing where Tsuzuki's soul room was, he turned sharply left.

Finally a heavily chained, red soul door appeared. In prominent purple, the emblem of no-entry was marked onto it.

Ignoring the warning, Secret grabbed the ornate door handle that looked out of place on the otherwise sleek door.

It rattled when he tried to open it. "TSUZUKI!" He screamed, pounding on the door. "OPEN UP!"

The sound of metal snapping was the only warning Secret had to jump backwards and dodge the black chains that whipped around at random like spitting snakes.

With several carefully placed Soul Forces, Secret countered the chains' attack, and they fell to the ground twitching and sparking red.

The door unlatched and hinged ominously out, opening on the side opposite of the handle. Secret backpedaled out of range as a musty, salt-smelling wind sucked at him.

Shrieking pleas emanated from the dark doorway begging to be killed, begging to be released.

Secret shivered. "Tsuzuki, come out of there! We have to resonate!"

Long, night-dark fingers grabbed at the door frame and the wind intensified, knocking Secret off his feet towards the door.

Lightning flashed in the room behind the giant cloaked creature, showing a glimpse of lashing rain and sweeping ocean-water for as far as Secret could see. The wind howled carrying whispered voices of malice. _Kill him. Eat him!_

The door swung shut with a resounding finality silencing the voices, and the hooded figure extended its bony, root-like fingers towards him. /_Secret…?_/

Relieved to hear Tsuzuki's voice, Secret grabbed those fingers, allowing himself to be pulled towards the gloomy folds of black cloth which housed Tsuzuki's flaring purple-blue soul. His soul was bright and revealed a fire-eaten collar and neck tie decorated with bones.

_We'll defeat him together, Tsuzuki._ Secret closed his eyes and reached out for the much-larger soul despite feeling his Weapon's reluctance.

_/Alright./_

"Soul Resonance!"

Their souls melded.

All that mattered was removing the Kishin soul from this world.

As one, the skeleton whipped around, swords pressed hard against the giant segmented monster. The burning corrosion from the spewed acid stung, but neither soul shirked from the fight.

_/DRILLING ACID!/ _hiss_-_snarled Sagant.

Everywhere the acid had touched opened great holes in the skeleton's frame. Pain lanced through them, threatening to break their resonance.

"ARES SWING!" Walter sliced another section off the worm, which screeched and turned.

_/BIO-SHOCK!/ _The worm howled, directing its next attack at the suit of armor, who prevented the foul, brown spew from touching him with his shield.

Silently thanking their friend for the diversion, Secret-Tsuzuki gathered what remained of their reserves and intensified it into one final attack. Fire roared within the metal skeleton's ribs, superheating it. Tatsumi's Shadow remained where it was, wrapping around Secret's frail body without breaking the important hand contact.

"ARES STRIKE!"

Sagant yowled and swayed backwards towards Secret-Tsuzuki. Its regeneration appeared to be slowing.

Past the Dark Weapon Sagant, Secret-Tsuzuki saw Walter kneel and hold the partially melted shield before him as if expecting a powerful display.

_/Ready? This attack is—/_ Tsuzuki started.

_Just do it Tsuzuki, now that Sagant's weakened!_

There was no more hesitation as their metal jaw opened ominously.

"_Flame of the Serpent!_"

A serpent made of gray and black fire slid out like an abnormally long tongue.

Biting down the scream, Secret gasped as Tsuzuki's Soul Wavelength bucked viciously and chaotically. His hands burned as their Resonance slipped out of place like an unmatched gear, yet Secret stubbornly forced himself to re-size his wavelength to match his Weapon's no matter how erratically it changed.

The fire serpent wrapped itself around the Dark Sword.

Trapped, Sagant wailed as the heat caused the multitude of pustules and sores to pop and hiss disgustingly.

"_EXPLODE!"_ Half the power inside the fire serpent suddenly reversed and it ballooned spectacularly, while Secret could barely grasp Tsuzuki's wavelength as it careened even more out of control.

Sagant dissolved into nothing, leaving behind an ugly, violet-magenta soul.

Seeing that their battle done, Secret fell away from the Resonance hurting. Shoving the Shadow Weapon back with an elbow, Secret forced himself to roll off Tsuzuki's foot and catch himself on his feet, cradling his blistered hands with their blackened fingers against his chest. His arm would need to get re-splinted too, he thought faintly.

A famished Tsuzuki skewered the large soul and slurped it down hungrily.

It was little wonder why Tsuzuki was considered bad luck. If it wasn't for his natural ability, Secret would have been incinerated from the inside out when Tsuzuki's soul wavelength changed so drastically. To Tsuzuki's credit, he _had_ tried to warn Secret, though in the middle of a fight was a bad time to do so.

Secret understood that he needed to practice wielding Tsuzuki to master all of his forms and attacks, especially if he wanted to be a Two-Star Meister.

The Shadow prodded him.

"The key to the barrier's in my pocket," Secret snapped at it, "Give it to Tsuzuki so we can go."

He felt the object lift from him, and then the Shadow disappeared.

"Kid, you okay?"

"Yeah," Secret responded tartly, keeping his hands tucked against him. "And you don't seem hurt. What are you?"

Walter flashed a victory sign. "One of the four successful experiments augmenting a Normal soul."

"Why would a Normal need to be augmented if there are Weapons?"

Chuckling, Walter looked up at the Barrier Shield. "That does seem strange, doesn't it?"

Secret stared at him, following his line of thought. "You were born before Weapons were created? But that would make you… _old_ like Lord Death."

"A little over 900 to be more exact. Though…"

Watching the green fall away like the walls of a box falling outward, Secret nodded. They were at the bottom of a large crater as if the Spatial Magic Tool hadn't been used until someone could trap Sagant with a devastating attack. The street was far above their heads. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

Walter grinned. "I like you, kid. What was your name again?"

"The name's Secret. And I'm not some kid."

A hand closed on his shoulder. "You are when you stubbornly insist on doing things your way and end up hurt."

"I'm fine," Secret retorted at his Weapon, noticing that there wasn't a stain on his clothes after that fight. "I wanted that creep gone before he could do anything else to you."

"You're not fine." Looking pointedly at Walter and then back at his Meister sternly, Tsuzuki lifted Secret into his arms easily.

"Put me down! I'm not an invalid!"

"He said he was fine. No need to baby your Meister," the scientist agreed.

Tsuzuki frowned at Walter. "That attack I just used doesn't allow me to buffer the Resonance before I'm charged."

"_What_?" Walter growled, looking as incensed as he felt. "Are you _insane_?"

"I didn't—" Tsuzuki protested.

"I told him to do it. We didn't have much time," Secret said defensively, not looking in Walter's direction.

"Sure you did! Sagant was trapped in the barrier, same as all of us! You had plenty of time!" Walter insisted. "Oh, Heavens. Do you realize how one small misstep could have incinerated your soul?"

Secret didn't answer, but at the depth of Walter's concern Secret felt a little guilty.

"Well, we're fine now," Tsuzuki stated easily though his arms tightened around Secret. He was angry more at himself than at Secret. The protectiveness had grown enormous. Secret stifled a groan at what that meant.

"Tsuzuki, Secret!" Wakaba yelled from the top of the crater, hand tightly gripped on a medicine bag. "Oh, hello, Mr. Walter… Secret, are you alright? Are you injured? The others are either getting treated or helping calm the residents." The wooden stock of her Weapon was stuck up over her shoulder from the strap across her back as she looked down at them.

"I'm taking Secret to the hospital, Wakaba," Tsuzuki said loudly.

Wincing, Secret turned his face into Tsuzuki's chest. "It's not that bad." Secret wanted to show off the blisters but found that his hands were stuck to his shirt. He knew better than to look down, but he did it anyway.

The sight of the oozing, popped blisters and reddened inflamed skin at his wrists gave Secret a moment of disconnect. His eyes had trouble processing the charred flaps of his fingertips. Those couldn't be his hands. He didn't feel anything.

The splint and wrapping were long gone, and it reminded Secret of his likely broken wrist. He felt the deep ache in his left joint. He quietly laid his head back against Tsuzuki's chest, feeling lightheaded.

Looking over Tsuzuki's shoulder at the petite Meister, Walter inhaled sharply at the curled, sticky wet fingers revealed when Secret had tried to pry them off his shirt. "Holy Mother and Death, don't wait for our permission Tsuzuki! Get going!"

Tsuzuki easily scaled the slope to the street level with a single bound. "Come visit Secret at the hospital later."

Wakaba could only half-smile and nod, when she saw the extent of Secret's burns.

Secret would have protested if his mouth wasn't so dry. He licked his lips and swallowed. He didn't miss the look from Tsuzuki, even if he didn't see it.

Tsuzuki jumped onto the nearest roof, revealing no outward harm from evicting the Dark Sword Sagant from his body. Secret tensed as he saw the edges of desert below them.

"It's a shortcut." Tsuzuki explained while he ran, holding Secret like he weighed nothing. Though his Weapon felt upset, he acted composed.

"Sorry," Secret grunted out. "I didn't think it was that bad."

Hopping off a section of round, tiled eaves, Tsuzuki landed gently, stepping through the Emergency Entrance. "I'm starting to think you have a history of overdoing things." Tsuzuki gave him a pointed look.

Secret refused to meet his Weapon's steady gaze. It was true, but he'd hoped that nobody would care enough to stop him at the Academy.

A loud tsk sounded. "Again, Secret?"

"Hi, Hernando," Tsuzuki turned towards the nurse, who after getting a good look at Secret grabbed the phone receiver off the wall and rattled off a code.

"This way."

Tsuzuki was quickly led past a busy room where the beds were separated with curtains to a private room. Tsuzuki set Secret carefully down on the single bed.

That seemed to be when the pain kicked in at Secret's wrists, pressing hard on his head. Secret also became hyper-aware of the other souls beyond the room. Nausea rose from the pit of his stomach.

The door opened.

"I think I'm going to pass out," Secret mumbled.

Two doctors with Meister souls came in already prepped in surgical suits. One had their mask down.

"May I?"

Tsuzuki nodded and moved back to allow the doctors space.

The doctor put his face mask back on, and both Meisters inspected Secret's hands carefully, noting that both hands were stuck to the shirt.

Secret looked down at his hands and the pain intensified, coloring his vision off-hues. He hated the hard mattress under him. "I don't feel good."

"The anesthesiologist will be with us shortly, Meister Blackriver," came the muffled, cool voice.

A bandaged Weapon with dreadlocks came in, pushing a machine in front of her.

"He'll require skin grafts for this amount of damage," the doctor said sternly to Tsuzuki, who winced.

"Hi Secret," the normally silent nurse said, "I'm Nygus. I'm going to give you some medicine to put you to sleep."

The pain had risen to the point where Secret's head felt like it was clamped by two large stones. "O… okay. It won't… It won't hurt, will it?"

"Just a needle prick and then you'll drift off while I countdown."

"Okay," Secret mumbled, aware that the doctors had finished talking to Tsuzuki and had left the room.

"Focus on me," Tsuzuki commanded, his hand lightly touching Secret's cheek.

Those purple eyes pulled him in, and then hospital setting disappeared around them.

"What're you doing?," Secret whispered as his pain steadily became a distant prospect, though he could hear Nygus counting down from fifty. Had she already inserted the IV?

Tsuzuki's smile tried to hide his guilt. "Helping you."

A breeze carrying the smells of early summer caught Secret by surprise. He looked around. He was home. The tiny bell rang melodiously in the peaceful courtyard.

He turned back to thank Tsuzuki, but his Weapon had gone. A bright blue door was all that remained.

Quite suddenly, Secret felt alone. He sat down gingerly on the polished wooden planks of the porch, recognizing his clothing as one of his favorite kimonos.

His hands were undamaged. He stared at them for a few moment before he laid back, taking a deep breath.

His eyes slid close, and he drifted off to sleep.

_To Be Continued…_

**Next time: **Happy birthday, Kazusa! What do you mean they're not dating?!


End file.
